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Chapter Text

Jeon Jungkook had his life carefully planned out, thanks to all the damned rules of being part of a head family and the rules his family adds, since very young he was fairly clear in what he wanted 

You see, when most wizards turn 20, they are to be tested for their amount of magic for the first time. Tests to know the amount of magic a witch possesses were not only there to establish a clear rank of power between wizards— but between families too. And most elite families even put their offspring through a second test to calculate how inheritances will be given. 

Jungkook is not ambitious, not to a dangerous extent anyways, but he’s a proud Ravenclaw, and inheritance wasn’t only about money and luxuries; it was also about becoming the house head too. 

And imagine: Jeon Jungkook, Ravenclaw’s head of house; it has a nice tone to it. 

Many elite families joined the wave of most low ranked and middle class wizard households trying to abolish the use of magic tests to decide things like rank or inheritance. Most families decided to split their riches equally and not put their kids through any type of magic tests—so they didn’t feel bad or less, if that was the case. 

For head elite families, things were a bit different. There needs to be only one inheritor of the house head symbol. So, even if a head family didn’t want to put their child through an amount of magic test once they turned twenty or to split inheritance, they would have to inevitably do it once, to decide who became the next head. 

The Jeon’s—heads and faces of the Ravenclaw’s—are protective of their knowledge and power, they take pride in it. Therefore, their customs stick. In the Jeon household a wizard needs to get their amount tested once they turn 20 and then again when all siblings have partners or are married. This is so the wizard can use their partner's power as an advantage too, leading to powerful heirs and unions so the inheritance can be passed down accordingly. They value partners most of all, and are very strict about who their children marry. 

For many that would’ve been a problem and has been a problem, since finding a suitable partner tends to be a great stressor. Jungkook, however, never cared about partners, and he’s sure he could beat his brother alone. He’s the youngest of the Jeon’s and he doesn’t like to brag, but he’s fairly more powerful and confident in his skill than when his big brother was his age. So, Jungkook never worried too much about inheritance rituals. He was sure his power would be enough by the time he got out of magic school, and by then he’d have enough control and magic amount to pass with flying colors his test.  

He’s nineteen now, and still has two more years of magic school to go. That was enough for him to refine his magic, work his power. 

Until his family decided to do their inheritance ceremony at the same time as his first test of magic. He still has two years of magic school and would, in no way, be able to beat his brother's power alone, much less with his new wife of the Choi Ravenclaws. 

“You’re kidding, Hyung, right?” Jungkook says, wand levitating in his hand. He’s getting better at silent spells, wandless spells, but even though he’s dominating them, he still has a long, long way to go.

“Not at all, my mother told me this morning. It was the only reason I asked to be appointed to the school halls,” Namjoon, his cousin, and now an auror says. “I wanted to tell you. You know this is Junghyun’s doing. He knows you’ll beat him at the inheritance ceremony and your mother kind of hates the idea of leaving the Ravenclaw head to you, so she agreed.” Jungkook’s wand stops floating, falling to the floor with a loud echoing sound in the empty stairwell. 

“I’m not complaining. Even though I could accuse their honor and call out their cowardice. I won’t let them see me complain.” His words are almost clipped. Heart rate slowly rising, he bends, picking up his wand and adjusting his glasses once he’s upright again. “I’ll just beat them anyway,” he says, a plan already in mind.

“How? You’re a powerful wizard, Jungkook, but you’re not even out of school yet. You have some chance of winning but there’s still parts of magic that you haven’t learned. Power is nothing if you don’t know how to use it. The test can even evaluate that.” Namjoon would know what he is talking about. His family is the second most respected of the Ravenclaw houses, and Namjoon beat his brothers at the inheritance ceremony for the Kims. 

Not that it mattered much. Unlike his family, Namjoon’s only did the test ritual as a way of appointing who manages the first funds of the family, the ones that are passed down from generation to generation. Besides that, it doesn’t do anything else, just determines who of the brothers is more powerful and who’ll be in charge of the funds. The Kims started splitting their inheritance equally five years ago. 

“I’ll take a partner. No one in the family has brought a partner so young, but no one has ever been put through an inheritance ceremony this young either, so I’ll take a partner with me.” 

He’s determined to not let his family win this one. They’re smart and have a certain way to use their wit in their favor but they forget, Jungkook possesses those traits, too. He’s been working harder than anyone in his classes, spending long hours making sure he manages full control of the power he has. He has carefully crafted the path to be the next Ravenclaw head of the Jeons, and he will not let go of that quietly. He doesn’t even care about riches. More than anything, he wants to make sure that his family knows who really has more power. 

“You? A partner? They won’t accept anyone you bring. Even if you make Seokjin or Taehyung come, they’ll know you’re just using them. They won’t accept them,” Namjoon sighs, shaking his head. “And they’re great wizards, but they won't tip the scale too much in your favor. Not against your brother and his wife.” 

“Don’t you worry, I have someone else in mind, Hyung.” Namjoon regards him with the rise of an eyebrow, expression amused, and Jungkook chuckles. 

“I’m taking the big bad snake with me.” Jungkook says, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. He knows it isn’t and Namjoon’s expression says it, too. But he’s smart, and he has tricks up his sleeve; he can do this. 

“Park Jimin? Triwizard tournament winner? The Slytherin , Park Jimin? Sole heir of the Parks? Biggest enemy of your family, Park Jimin?” 

“Shut up, Hyung. If you say his name three times he appears.” Jungkook says, laughing. 

The halls are always filled with rumors of Jimin, he’s almost always the person everyone talks about. He finished his basic magic school years, and unlike students who finish and go on to do other things, Jimin stayed with the powerful wizards and smart brains and continued in the advanced courses the school offers. He’s twenty-one, has no rivals since no one can really beat him, is head of Slytherin common room, and absolutely aces everything that he does. 

Jungkook still holds a grudge for the time Ravenclaw lost the Quidditch tournament three years in a row all because of Jimin. The sole thought of it brings Jimin’s grinning face to his memory.

“Stop believing those absurd myths they put to his name and get your head out of your ass. There’s no way you’ll get Jimin to help you. Don’t even get me started on how dangerous this is, your families hate each other. How in the world did you think this was the solution?” Namjoon takes three steps down the stairs, moving closer to an opening just so he can look outside. Jungkook feels for him. His cousin, more a brother than Jungkook’s real brother, is often worried and stressed because of Jungkook’s actions. 

“I haven’t thought it through, but he’s powerful. He has the full Slytherin head crown in that little blonde head of his and he’s good at everything. If I'm doing this I might as well go big.” Jungkook shrugs, like he’s not a kitten trying to take on a tiger. 

“Yeah,” Namjoon scoffs, incredulously, “go big or go home.” Jungkook nods, satisfied with Namjoon’s words, entirely missing the sarcasm behind them. “Kook–”

There’s a sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, both of them look up, waiting for a figure to appear. The steps get closer and closer, there's a green robe, a flash of blonde and when Jungkook trails his gaze up, it’s Park Jimin. He’s looking down at a book, Namjoon and Jungkook’s presence still unknown to him as he takes the stairs. Right by the turn he stops, book closing, and finally looks up. His face is one of surprise, but it quickly morphs into his signature grin. 

He tucks the book under his arm, resuming his walk down the stairs. He passes right by the duo. “Gentlemen.” Jungkook resists the urge to gag at the faux modesty. He watches Jimin’s back as he glides down the steps, until it disappears under the spirals of stairs.

Jungkook snaps his head towards Namjoon, who’s looking back at him almost spooked, Jungkook only rolls his eyes, knowing full well Namjoon is probably worrying about Jimin hearing their conversation. “This is your fault. You said his name three times, Hyung,” Jungkook says, seriously. 

“Oh, go to hell, Jungkook.” Namjoon doesn’t entertain him further, turning around and walking down the stairs. Jungkook watches him go, taking over the spot Namjoon had earlier and looks out at the scenery of Hogwarts. He doesn’t know how he’ll do it, but he’s certain of one thing, he will win at the inheritance ceremony, and Jimin, no matter what it takes, will be there with him.

.•*•.•*•.
 

The Great Hall is buzzing with life the moment Jungkook walks in. It may be the slight tiredness he feels, or the way his brain has been running ever since the news of his ceremony, but he thinks that the candles that brighten the Great Hall are shinier today. There’s rows and rows of food all over every table, and he looks quickly around to try and find his friends among the masses. 

Unlike in the past, nowadays, everyone sits wherever they want. There’s rhinestones of blue on the red tables and red on the yellow tables, even some green can be found all over, too. The only two times where the students follow the rules of the Great Hall tables are once at the beginning of the year, because of the sorting, and then again at the end of year, when everyone waits to see who wins the House Cup. 

It’s a friendlier turn around, one Jungkook enjoys greatly, because none of his close friends are Ravenclaws. Jungkook spots a flailing hand and moves towards it, rolling his eyes at Taehyung’s antics. Taehyung is one of Jungkook’s best friend’s. He’s a Hufflepuff, even though Jungkook thinks Taehyung uses his chatty and extroverted self for more bad than good. 

Which is ironic, truly. 

“What took you so long?” Seokjin says. He’s a Gryffindor and the oldest one of their friend group, but like Jimin, he stayed in Hogwarts’ advanced courses, and Jungkook has a bet that he’ll end up teaching at the school, too. No one knows it better than Seokjin, and he has a certain passion Jungkook rarely sees. Seokjin even passed up on being the Gryffindor head, leaving the title to his brother. 

“I had something to do with the Potions professor.” Jungkook replies, eyes already trailing over every bit of food ,d thinking about what he’ll choose. 

“Potions?” Jin frowns. “You took that class already.” 

Jungkook turns to Jin with a mouthful of rice and big eyes. He has right until he finishes munching the food in his mouth to come up with a believable lie. Because he did take that class already—but he’s calling in a favor and it’s a secret. 

He gulps down the food in his mouth, “I passed by the professor in the hallway, and you know how he is. He had boxes full of potions and I helped him carry them.” He shrugs for good measure, putting more food in his mouth right away. However, when he looks up, Taehyung is squinting at him. 

“L-I-A-R” he mouths, and Jungkook makes some faces back, urging him to shut up. Taehyung is too nosy and too good at calling out Jungkook’s lies. He doesn’t need that now. 

“Wow, our Jungkookie is a good student.” Jin mocks, and Jungkook only rolls his eyes and continues eating. He was trying to find different ways to—not avoid—-but at least push back the inheritance ceremony. He’s had no luck with it, the ceremony has even been announced to inheritance Aurors, and Jungkook’s professors are aware that he’ll be absent that day. 

He’s being driven into a corner and he’s not sure he’ll have any choice but to approach Jimin.

“Hey, Hyung?” Seokjin looks at him, urging him on. “Aren’t you friends with the Hufflepuff, um, the one from the head family? The one in charge of the dance team?” Jungkook fakes not knowing the name, making it seem as if it had simply slipped from his mind. 

Taehyung gasps. “We have a dance team?” Jungkook turns to look at him with a bored expression because Taehyung knows there is a dance team. They’re always in charge of activities for cup winning celebrations (no matter who wins) and for themed balls—Valentines, Christmas, there was even a summer one for kids that stayed for summer lessons.

Taehyung has gone to almost everything. So, he knows. 

“You mean, Hoseok?” Seokjin says, taking a sip of his water cup. “Yeah, what about him?” Okay, he needs a great explanation for this one—or maybe he can get away with just asking.

“Do you know where I might find him?” Maybe Seokjin won’t question exactly what he needs to find Hoseok for. That would be good because Jungkook doesn’t think he could handle the pressure of lying on the spot like this.

“Well, he’s always in the mirror room, one of the old rooms approaching the Hufflepuff common room. It got repurposed by him, for dance.” Seokjin says, he’s putting a bite of food in his mouth and then he stops, tilting his head. “What for?” Shit. 

Jungkook can’t possibly say what for, and he groans internally. For being such a celebrity Jimin for sure is a pain in the ass to find. The only person other than Min Yoongi who’d know better where to find Jimin is Hoseok, so, Jungkook is going step by step. But he’s never even talked to this Hoseok guy either, and he only knows that he’s the son of the Hufflepuff heads and that he is one of Jimin’s friends. Even if Hoseok is a part of a head family, Jungkook doesn’t know much about him. He actually doesn’t know much about any other head family, just Jimin’s—because you need to know your enemies and all that.

“If I promise to go to Hogsmeade with you, do I get out of explaining myself?” 

“Only if you pay.” 

“Deal.”  

Then Jungkook gets up and runs out of the Great Hall. With the ceremony on Monday, he only has four days to find and convince Jimin to help him. That can be easy right? When he’s almost halfway to the Hufflepuff hall he starts looking for the old room Seokjin mentioned, stopped only by the sudden tug to his robe. 

He’s dragged to the side of the empty hall. When he’s finally free he looks back to find Taehyung grinning.

“You’re hiding something,” he says, eyes glinting with his mischievousness and Jungkook’s hands get clammy really fast. He and Taehyung have always been great at pranks and doing things they weren’t really supposed to do. They’re the best partners in crime anyone could want. 

Taehyung knows when Jungkook lies. But Jungkook won’t go down easily this time, and if he needs to take out the big guns, he will. 

“I’m not.” Okay , not that convincing. 

“You are.” Taehyung dares to chuckle at his own remark. Jungkook only rolls his eyes.

Big guns then. 

“I’m telling Hyung about your crush.” 

The moment the words are out, Taehyung has a hand to his chest and a very scandalous look on his face. “You said you wouldn’t dare!” 

“I never promised silence.” 

“Oh—you dirty little—ha! I know I should’ve made you make an unbreakable vow!” Taehyung gasps, huffing and head shaking to the sides. Jungkook knows Taehyung well, too, what can he say? 

And there’s nothing Taehyung loses his cool for more than this secret. 

“Over this? An unbreakable vow? Taehyung, please.” 

“It’s Hyung to you!” Yeah, he definitely loses his cool with this topic. 

“Okay. Okay, I won’t say anything I wouldn’t dare. But you just have to leave me alone.” Taehyung gives him an unamused look, shoulders dropping and mouth instantly turning into a pout. 

“Fine. I’ll find out anyway when you mess up.” Taehyung dusts off his robe, a smug look on his face. “A plan that doesn’t include me is bound to be doomed.” 

“Oh shut up.” Jungkook turns around and starts walking, he doesn’t need Taehyung’s antics to mess with his vibes. He feels good about his plan. 

As good as he can given the fact that he’s recruiting a Slytherin to act like his partner. 

The thought makes him stop. Has he even come out to his parents yet? Whatever. He shrugs the thought off, it’s not like he cares about their opinion anyways, and it’s not like he needs to. He’s pretty sure he was caught kissing Taehyung once. And even if unintended—that must count as coming out. 

He looks to the side to find himself in front of a door. The Hufflepuff common room is just around the corner so this must be it. He takes the handle and tugs on it. The door doesn’t budge so he takes a small step back. This is like his first year all over again. “Alohomora,” he whispers, but nothing. 

He’s about to do another spell, maybe try some tricks he’s learnt over the years, but just then the door opens. Jungkook stumbles back. He fumbles to put his wand back in his pocket and stares. There’s Jung Hoseok, coming out of the room in his white button up and a hideous yellow-ish tie, dark pants, and sweat all over. 

Jungkook looks up just to find Hoseok already making eye contact with him. Smiling. 

“No offense, but it’s pretty dumb to think that the door would open with just an alohomora charm. I’m in advanced courses, Jeon.” Well, Jungkook thought he was in his last year of basic education, guess not then. 

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He responds, cringing at himself a second later. That sounds awfully like flirting and Hoseok’s expression screams it, too. 

“Are you hitting on me?” he asks, amused. “I’m flattered. The Jeon Jungkook. Wow. I’m not sure our families would approve,” he says, closing the door behind him after a floating bag exits it. Hoseok starts walking down the hall, bag following diligently behind. 

Jungkook takes a second until he’s back to reality and starts sprinting behind Hoseok, he goes straight to the point, no use in sugar coating, “I am not hitting on you. No offense.”

“None taken. I am in a very happy relationship, but do go on. There must be something for Jeon Jungkook himself to be snooping around the dance rooms.” Hoseok seems intrigued, putting a stop to his walk and turning towards Jungkook. 

“I want to know where I can find Park Jimin.” The moment the name is out of his mouth Hoseok’s eyebrows shoot upwards, almost completely hidden under his sweaty bangs. Jungkook starts to get nervous, but he only receives a small chuckle in response. 

“Jimin, huh,” Hoseok says, huffing and blowing out a raspberry. Jungkook starts to question if it’s even smart of him to be asking so freely for the Slytherin, but he has no choice. He’s looked for him in every room of advanced classes, he didn’t get to see him at the Great Hall and Jungkook even went to the Quidditch grounds—knowing damn well Jimin doesn’t play anymore. 

Park Jimin is hard to find.

“Yeah. Jimin.” 

“Why? I mean, I don’t care much, really, but aren’t you guys like lethal enemies? Why do you want to find him?” Lethal enemies? Well, that’s an over exaggeration.

“Professor Theloni wants to talk to him.” Jungkook’s really bad at lying, this whole day has proven it to him. “He’s doing an experiment on the creatures and wants advanced magic students.” Hoseok scoffs, followed by a chuckle. 

“You know what?” Hoseok says, turning around and uttering a low whispered spell. The floating bag goes to rest by his shoulder and Jungkook just watches him, waiting. “I don’t really want to know, actually. It’s better if I don’t know.” 

Hoseok puts a blinding smile on his face, and for some reason, Jungkook feels like he’s getting made fun of. “I’ll tell you where to find him, and you just don’t mention I was the one who told you—like at all, okay?” Jungkook is nodding before the words are out, he’s short on time. 

“He’s always by the Whomping Willow or in the Whomping Willow. If he’s not there,” Hoseok pauses and checks his wrist, as if he had a watch. He doesn’t, and Jungkook tilts his head, confused. “Then by now he’s home, so good luck,” Hoseok says and turns almost instantly. Jungkook is still caught up on the fact that Hoseok didn’t have a watch but checked the time on his wrist anyways, and only just sees the Hufflepuff skipping away. 

“Wait! What if he’s not in any of those places?” 

“Not my problem.” Hoseok sings-songs, continuing to skip away from Jungkook. Jungkook watches him go and sighs, at least he has something. 

.•*•.•*•.

The walk towards the Whomping Willow is one Jungkook knows very well. Too many escapades at night with Taehyung to Hogsmeade have engraved the trail in Jungkook’s brain. It doesn’t make it any less heavy though, because alone, the tree always gets the best of Jungkook. 

No amount of training he had, no matter how many years he spent playing Quidditch, the tree has always been more agile than Jungkook. Jungkook knew how to give a beating and how to take it—but avoid it? Not so much.  

“Duck, jump, and press the knot at its base. Jump, duck- no, duck, jump,” he repeats the words like a mantra in his head, silently cursing Park Jimin for choosing the most annoying place to be at. Being in the Whomping Willow is disgusting—the Shrieking Shack is falling apart, and most of all, Jimin knows how to apparate, and he’s allowed to! He could just leave Hogwarts grounds and apparate to a nice cozy place if he wanted peace. 

But no, all Slytherins, apparently, need to be difficult and mysterious. And now, Jungkook needs to risk his softest sweatshirt to get to him. 

When he’s almost on the range to get absolutely floored by a branch of the willow tree, the tree acts accordingly, leaves rustling and branches quickly moving. Jungkook sees it, but his body doesn’t jump into action fast enough, so he closes his eyes. Maybe if he thinks it enough he can fake it’s a bludger coming his way. He’s ready, braced for impact but he feels the slight rustle of the leaves stop by his cheek and the hit never comes. He opens his right eye, letting out a little breath when he sees the tree branch just by his face—it did not hit him and it’s not touching him, it’s just…there. 

He’s puzzled, to say the least, but he won’t question it, he’s more grateful that he avoided a hit. Every time he gets one from the tree, for some reason he can feel it for weeks.

He shrugs, more to lose the tension he feels than anything, and continues to walk. When he’s just a few steps away from the small entrance the tree moves again and Jungkook instantly stops, eyes open wide and hands slightly raised. He feels watched, and a part of him even feels like the tree is fucking with him. He tries to let it go but then he takes another step, and a branch immediately moves and stops just a breath away from hitting him. 

Now he knows the tree is fucking with him. Which is uncharacteristic of it. The tree just moves and hits you, it doesn’t think about it. 

“You know,” Jungkook hears, it sounds far away, and he stays rooted to the spot, trying to decipher if he imagined the voice. “I never thought learning how to control the willow would reward me this much fun.” It takes a second, but the voice clicks to Jungkook once he doesn’t think he’s going crazy. It’s there, taunting and sexy, a voice that haunts. 

It’s Park Jimin. 

“Glad to see you enjoy messing with me,” Jungkook says, a little frustrated already. He still has no idea how he’ll get Jimin to help, he doesn’t even know how to start the conversation, and it doesn’t help that he feels slightly out of his zone. Jimin’s powerful and smart. Sure Jungkook is too, but even he knows when to accept that you’re not the strongest in the room. 

It’s a jab to the ego, but it is what it is. 

There’s a twinkling laugh that breaks him out of his reverie. It still sounds far away and Jungkook looks furiously to the sides, trying to figure out where the Slytherin is. “I enjoy messing around in general, not just with you, don’t flatter yourself, Jeon .” There’s something in Jimin’s voice as he says Jungkook’s family name. It’s a taunting tone, natural of a Slytherin, but there’s something else—as if he knew more, as if he knew Jungkook. He says it condescendingly, but it rings out of his mouth like he plays with the letters and enjoys them. 

Or, maybe Jungkook’s overthinking and stalling over his own reason for being here. He’s starting to think this isn’t a solid plan at all, that maybe he’s a little over his head. 

“I’ve seen you get smacked around by this big boy,” Jimin says once he takes notice of Jungkook’s silence. “So I wonder what might’ve brought you here—what’s so important that perfect Jeon Jungkook risked a willow beating.” There’s a small hum after the words, as if Jimin were genuinely pensive, but Jungkook knows his tone is too cheeky. He knows how taunting Jimin can be and it makes him think that maybe Jimin has an idea of why he’s here. 

Jungkook decides it’s better to get it over with then. “I need your help,” he says. The words are out there but there’s a certain still silence that takes over the tree surroundings. Jungkook feels as if even the wind came to a stop. For a few seconds there’s nothing and then the small ruffle of leaves, and when Jungkook looks up, Jimin’s head is there. Jungkook notes how visibly relaxed Jimin is. 

Jimin is seated on one of the branches, feet folded and hands neatly on his lap, head bent since he’s looking down at Jungkook now. The green Slytherin sweater makes him easily blend with the tree leaves. 

“I need your help,” Jungkook repeats again. He gulps, Jimin’s gaze slowly diminishing his confident resolve. Jimin hums, and Jungkook wondershow he can almost feel the vibration of it when he’s all the way up there. 

“I thought blue bloods were acclaimed for their wisdom and wit,” Jimin says, and Jungkook strains his neck to look at Jimin better, and his mind comes to a stop when he finds the way Jimin is looking at him. There’s some kind of faux innocence in his eyes, his head tilted ever so slightly to the side. “Why would I help you?” 

“I—” Jungkook stutters, but Jimin only gasps, snapping his fingers. 

“ Oh,” he exclaims, loud and clear. Then he’s moving around and the next second he’s jumping and landing gracefully in front of Jungkook, as if he didn’t just jump from a ten feet high tree branch. Jungkook takes a step back, frowning at Jimin’s sudden change, but Jimin only snickers to himself, a slight smirk appearing on his face. He’s sporting the Quidditch sweater from Slytherin, and it hugs his lithe body perfectly. His blonde hair flows with the slight wind, and his eyes are sparkling with mischievousness. 

“So it’s true then?” He laughs. “The Jeon’s are doing their inheritance ceremony soon.” His hand comes up from his side, wand in hand and the air stills around them, the willow’s branches slowly moving is the only sound that accompanies them. Jungkook knows how great of a wizard Jimin is, how cunning and ruthless he is. His heart races at the action and he follows Jimin’s wand with his eyes but he doesn’t move back, he just lets Jimin do whatever he wants. He feels the slight adrenaline that runs through him—around them—as Jimin steps closer and lets it run, trying to calm down.  

Jimin, as if inspecting Jungkook, trails his wand on Jungkook’s forehead, the wand slowly touches his glasses, but Jimin continues up, using the tip of it to brush some of Jungkook’s hair back. A shiver runs through Jungkook’s body and he can’t help but slightly part his lips, feeling as if his body lacked air. “Is that why you’re asking for my help? What? Do you want me to kill your brother? Perhaps…even your mother?” Jimin says, wand tracing Jungkook’s face. 

The words stir something strange in Jungkook, heart plummeting in a second, “Ki-killing? No— you? You’d do that?” he stutters out. The image of Jimin going about killing people is something he never expected. His mind burns images into his eyes, an evil Jimin using forbidden curses to do the unimaginable. 

Jimin’s twinkling laugh breaks him out of it, and he feels oxygen making it back to his lungs as Jimin steps back, hands holding his belly as he doubles over, laughing.

“Shit— shit, you should’ve seen your face,” he says between laughs. It makes sense, then, that Jimin was only fucking with Jungkook, playing with his mind, and it stirs a rage in him, embarrassment flooding every inch of his body. 

“Fucking asshole.” 

“You really believed that— god. God, do you think that low of me?” Jimin asks, instantly calm. He tilts his head again and Jungkook wonders if it’s a Jimin thing. It’s an action that makes Jungkook feel scrutinized, as if Jimin’s reading him, in and out. 

“You’re a Slytherin.” 

“Oh, please. And you’re a Ravenclaw asking me for help. Let’s respect each other a little, hmm?” Jimin says, a condescending smile adorning his face. 

“This was a bad idea.” He turns around, walking away, he needs Jimin, he does. There's no way for him to win without Jimin’s power weighing on the test scale, too, the day of the ceremony. But Jimin will not help him. It was dumb of Jungkook to think he’d just be able to get Jimin to help him. 

“Just so you’re out of doubts,” Jimin yells, Jungkook keeps walking, not turning back, “I wouldn’t have helped you anyways! But hey, thanks for the laugh!” Jungkook rolls his eyes at the comment, feet stomping his way back. 

Being who he is, Jungkook has never had any trouble getting the things he wanted. He’s a great wizard, a great student, son of the Ravenclaw’s head family and he’s pretty. He knows it’s a great privilege and he learned from an early age how to use all of those to his advantage. 

That also means he never asked for favors. Never. Things were handed to him. People offered to do things for him, with him, to him. He never asked for favors nor did he do them, unless it was for a good friend. So this, this was a sacrifice he was willing to make, for the sake of his future, for the sake of Ravenclaw. 

He just forgot Jimin was born and raised the same as him. 

It frustrates him, the head shouldn’t go to someone like his brother. His brother is the epitome of all things going wrong. All the bad traits a family could have were passed down to him. 

Jungkook isn’t perfect, not at everything at least, but he is the better choice. His father knows, his mother knows, and his brother, more than anyone does, too. It’s the only reason his brother married young, despite being the coldest one in the family. The only reason Jungkook’s mother said she won’t support Jungkook if he decides to pursue advanced studies, knowing that would only make him a finer wizard. 

It’s the only reason they’re doing the inheritance ceremony so early, with Jungkook still in school. It’s not a surprise, really. Jungkook and his mother were never close. Jungkook prefers his father, a healer who’s really the most kind hearted and smart person in Jungkook’s home. Jungkook is sure his mother only chose his father to win the Ravenclaw head title. 

She’s the most cunning and corrupt person Jungkook has ever known, but she’s his mother. 

“Hey, Jeon!” Jungkook looks to the side and rolls his eyes. 

“Not now, Woo.” He’s already halfway to his intended destination. With his plan found sideways, he needs the next few days to work very hard on his next step. 

“Come play a match with us, the Quidditch grounds are clear for us!” The invitation is more than tempting. Jungkook really misses a good Quidditch match, and he would enjoy letting off some steam. The thought sits pleasantly in his mind. But then he remembers something better about casual Quidditch matches that catches his attention more. 

“Will there be a party afterwards?” 

“With all the games, brother!” Jungkook holds back the need to shiver at the nickname, and smiles, waving Woonho off. 

“I’ll pass on the game, but I’ll see you at the party!” He doesn’t even wait for Woonho’s answer, feet already guiding him to his next location. This is the perfect opportunity. One thing about parties after casual quidditch matches? Everyone goes. And Jungkook doesn’t care for everyone— not by a long shot. 

But he cares about a certain blonde, one that doesn’t miss a party either. 

Ever since the idea popped in his mind, Jungkook knew Jimin wouldn’t cooperate easily. He was kind of ready for it, and although his second option wasn’t what he wanted to do—and isn’t, really, he’s kind of afraid of the result—he has no choice but to do it. Jimin left him no choice. Jungkook could ask further, try harder, but he knows Jimin’s answer won’t change, and if it does, it will probably be because he asks for something in return. 

And, Jimin’s a Slytherin, whatever he asks for will definitely not be pleasant or sit right with Jungkook. Therefore, he got everything ready before going out to find Jimin. Being the son of a head family has its perks. Jungkook’s favorite is getting to have his own room. Although kids from important families can go home whenever they want, Jungkook doesn’t really prefer it. Since he can’t apparate yet, going home is more of a hassle than anything. So, Jungkook revels in having his own space, even if most times he’s at Seokjin’s room with Taehyung. 

This time, though, he’ll skip their afternoon chats to brew his plan. Which is already in motion, and quietly waiting for him in his room. He looks around just before entering, he feels like a criminal, even though he isn’t—not yet anyways. He opens his door and quietly slips into his room, putting his back against it just as he closes it, eyes sliding shut and sighing. He doesn’t exactly feel bad about what he’s going to do, but he doesn’t feel great either. God knows how many rules he’s breaking. 

“Why does it smell like Namjoon-Hyung in your room?” Jungkook’s eyes snap open, heart threatening to come out of his throat. He finds Taehyung laying neatly on his bed—arms folded behind his head, using them as pillows—with a book softly levitating in front of him. 

Jungkook’s potions book. 

“I-”

“Was he here and you didn’t tell me, you traitor?” he says, peeking from behind the book. “Also, didn’t you take potions already? What’s this for?” Jungkook’s fingers itch, and he takes out his wand from his pocket, swiftly aiming it at the book.

“Accio!” 

“Hey! I was reading that!”

“You don’t read!” Jungkook says, grunting as the book lands heavy in his arms. “What are you doing here!?” He needs to act now for his plan to work, needs to get to work now, otherwise it won’t be ready for tonight’s party. This is his one chance to get Jimin to help. The ceremony is on Monday. He only has three days—give or take—to make this work, it’s not just a one night plan, he’s not sure how well it will work, he’s never done it before. 

Jimin will also need days to act like a real boyfriend. 

“I’m trying to find out what you’re hiding.” Jungkook can’t help the way his eyes travel towards his closet, then back at Taehyung. Taehyung, though, doesn’t seem to notice, too caught up looking around Jungkook’s room to watch Jungkook’s movements. “It bothers me, to know you’re planning something and leaving me out of it.” Taehyung stands up from the bed and approaches Jungkook, eyebrows wiggling in his very own exaggerated Taehyung manner. 

Jungkook chuckles, thinking of anything to get Taehyung off his back. “I mean, Hyung, this is your last year, soon you won’t know a thing about me or what I’m planning.” Jungkook says, curling an eyebrow to seem more mischievous. The reaction he gets from Taehyung surprises him more than anything. 

“Exactly!” Taehyung says, whining . “That’s why I need to be with you now, always.” He drags Jungkook to the bed, dropping him on it and curls by his side, cuddling Jungkook. There’s a sudden silence that takes up the room and Jungkook knows there’s something bothering Taehyung. He can almost feel it bothering him, too, so he lets the silence simmer and waits for his best friend.

“I’m thinking of taking advanced courses.” Taehyung says, voice nothing more than a whisper. Jungkook feels his hot breath on the nape of his neck. 

He holds back the urge to shiver, then frowns. “You hate studying, Tae.” Out of all of them, Jungkook and Taehyung were the least academically driven, they still got high marks, they still were the best of students, and Jungkook found being a great wizard was excellent motivation to do well in his classes. But unlike their friends, they didn’t enjoy studying, they just…did it. 

“But I don’t know what to do outside, either.” Taehyung is a special case when it comes to being a wizard. His dad is a muggle, and his mom’s a witch. When Hogwarts letters started to arrive, his dad was stern on the fact that Taehyung would get an education like any kid. That he would never be a weirdo with tricks. 

He entered magic school late, only when his mom saw a light and took it, freeing Taehyung and herself from the dark claws of Taehyung’s father. They’re not rich; she’s a single mother who managed to get a job as a caretaker in St. Mungo’s thanks to her great academics when she attended Hogwarts. She then adopted a young girl who’s now running the halls of Hogwarts as a first year. She’s a nice soul, a kind person, but when it came to life, she didn’t know much and was never able to guide Taehyung through safe and sound decisions. That’s something he’s always had to do by himself. 

Perhaps that’s why now, when having to decide what to do fresh out of school, he’s struggling. 

“And you’ll put yourself through more years of school, just because of it? Jin Hyung is finishing advanced courses this year and he’ll probably be a professor apprentice the next. I definitely have no plans on pursuing advanced courses, so you’ll be alone,” Jungkook says, wiggling in Taehyung’s hold so he can turn around and face him. “If you want to do it, and I mean if you really, really want to do it, you can. But if you’re only doing it because you’re afraid of doing something else, I don’t think it counts.” 

“I’m afraid of doing a lot of things. Everything that I want, it all feels far away. I’m not an heir, or a prodigy. I have nothing, Jungkook.” Jungkook frowns, and he brings his hand up to flick Taehyung’s forehead with his finger. Being here like this, on his bed, just the two of them whispering about their worries and wants in life, reminds Jungkook a little too much of how they met. It also reminds him of how precious Taehyung is. 

Jungkook had to learn to have thick skin, he grew cold and distant because his family made it so. He knew what he wanted early in life because that’s all heirs are taught. Taehyung isn’t like that at all. He’s smart, witty, and quick, but he loves passionately—nature and people and just living. He likes too many things and is good at all of them. He’s a free soul. 

“Start doing one then,” Jungkook says, turning to look at the ceiling, “Maybe the things you want seem far away because you are afraid. You never give yourself the chance to just do something, like, for real. You try things and let them go when it gets serious. No one can take anything away from you anymore, Hyung.” Taehyung’s father was an expert at letting him taste happiness just to take it away the next second. He called it lessons of life. 

“No one needs to take anything away if you are capable of messing it up yourself,” Taehyung says, and Jungkook feels him move, too, probably mimicking Jungkook and staring at the ceiling. 

“But you won’t know if you don’t try it. You can’t say you’ll mess up without even trying it, and I’m not talking about just helping someone with it or thinking about it, no. You go out there and experience it; you do it and if you fail, you try again; and if you like it enough, you stay there. Nothing will be perfect at once,” Jungkook says, his words an echo of a conversation he had with his father not too long ago. Jungkook too had trouble in finding what he wanted in life. Yes, he knew he wanted the Ravenclaw head, and the family money is enough to sustain him three lifetimes, but he wants more from life and he’s still trying to find out exactly what. 

“Start with something small. You said you have a lot of things you like, a lot of things you want. Look for one that you don’t feel so bad about, and do it.” Jungkook turns his head to the side, hitting Taehyung in the stomach with his palm. “If you fail, I can be your sugar baby.” He says, a smile forming from ear to ear. 

Taehyung only frowns, “A what?” 

“A sugar baby,” Jungkook says. The joke is good; he remembers Taehyung taught him about this. They joke a lot about muggle words and customs. “You told me! You know when someone helps you? That you don’t do anything and they give you money and everything?” 

“Oh,” Taehyung says, then he sits up on the bed, taking a pillow and smacking it on Jungkook’s face. “Ew! You mean sugar daddy? That’s disgusting! Why would you be my sugar daddy?!” Another smack, “ If I become anyone's sugar baby it’ll be your cousin’s.” Another smack. “ You don’t even kiss good!” 

“Hey!” Jungkook says, breathing heavily and then bracing for another pillow hit again. 

“Ew! Ew!” Taehyung says, finally stopping, pillow dropping flat to the floor and feathers softly flowing around them, then Taehyung smiles, moving forward to take a feather from Jungkook’s hair, and Jungkook tries to recover from one of Taehyung’s usual drastic mood changes. “Thanks for the advice, Kookie.” 

“Don’t call me that,” Jungkook grumbles, getting up and huffing. “You’re welcome, though.” He sniffs,  thanks to the assault of feathers. He walks softly towards the door, and smiles sweetly at Taehyung. “That means you can leave then, huh?” He loves his best friend, and he’s actually happy that they had this moment, it was a good distraction from his current stress. And it actually helps him think a lot about himself, but that also means it helps him remember what he needs to do. 

“Not at all. I still don’t know what you’re up to,” Taehyung says, crossing his arms, hip popping to the side, eyebrows raised and Jungkook can only sigh at the obvious display that he is not leaving.

“I’m not telling you.” He's more embarrassed than anything about what he’s about to do.

Taehyung sniffs, he’s about to say something but his mouth opens and closes, and then he sniffs again. “God, I’m going insane,” he says, head whipping around the room. 

“What?” Jungkook asks, hands getting clammy, he knows exactly what Taehyung is smelling. 

“I swear to god it smells like Namjoon-Hyung is right beside me.” Taehyung goes as far as turning around, looking towards the floor and ceiling, even the walls and curtains to look for the source of the scent. But Jungkook knows exactly what it is, and he won’t find it in any of those places. 

Amortentia smells different for everyone. It bends its scent to your liking, becoming what it needs to attract you, using the things you like and that appeal to you. 

Taehyung says his room smells like Namjoon Hyung, because that’s what he likes. Jungkook thinks it must be a soft scent of forest and clean clothes, which is what his cousin often smells like. 

“Wait.” Taehyung is smart, and since they met, he’s been Jungkook’s partner in crime, for everything. “I’m not going crazy, am I?” he starts taking calculated steps towards Jungkook. “You dirty— oh.” He turns towards the closet, and before Jungkook can stop him his wand is up.

“No, Hyung, no!” And Taehyung proceeds to burst through the closet doors. There’s a cloud of steam that makes it out of the closet, and Jungkook silently points his wand towards the window so it doesn’t suffocate them, then he turns back towards Taehyung, whose eyes are wide and trained on the cauldron in the closet.

He sniffs again, and then brings a hand to his mouth. “That’s amortentia.” He watches the way the steam comes out of the cauldron in a neat spiral, mesmerized, then he turns to Jungkook, expression almost deathly. “Why do you have a cauldron of a love potion in your closet?”

“I can explain.” 

Taehyung raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms, foot tapping the floor to show that he's waiting for Jungkook's explanation. Jungkook gulps; there’s no turning back now. 

“I’m making Park Jimin fall in love with me.” 

There’s something in Taehyung’s eyes as Jungkook says the words. They’re wide and uncertain, but it only takes a second for his best friend to come onboard. 

“I guess we are making Park Jimin fall in love with you.” 

Amortentia is known to be a dangerous potion. Infatuation is a dangerous and, up to some point, uncontrollable matter. Jungkook however, is pretty confident about his plan. He needs it for just a few days anyways—enough to win the inheritance ceremony. There’s not much that could go wrong, and with Taehyung on board his potion is more perfect than ever. 

He knows everything about the effects and dangers of the potion. He feels safe and confident. 

There's only one thing Jungkook forgets: he knows nothing about love. 

.•*•.•*•.

“Jeon!” Woonho calls the moment Taehyung and Jungkook enter the party room. This part of the castle was always deserted The rooms were vast in space and beautifully decorated, with clear windows and mirrors showcasing the bright night sky. Here, almost all parties were planned. 

“Hey,” Jungkook says. He’s not too hyped about the party, not really. He’s here for a single reason and it sits heavy in his pocket, warm and ready to be used. “How did the match go?” 

“We won, but you know how that goes already.” Woonho winks at Jungkook, raising his cup in cheers. He forgets about Jungkook’s existence the moment he downs his cup, probably feeling the effect of whatever magic or enchantment they messed with for the punch, and walks away towards some girls on the dance floor. 

Taehyung takes the space quickly, standing right beside Jungkook, eyes traveling the room. “Not that I- You know I support you, right? But, are you sure—like sure —about this?” Taehyung cuts himself off, unsure of this whole thing, he turns his head towards Jungkook and Jungkook can feel his stare but he doesn’t mind it. He keeps his eyes on the door, waiting for the Slytherin blonde to enter through it.

“I’m sure about this. I’m not risking losing that ceremony, Hyung. And if he won’t help me, then I’ll make him help me.” Jungkook doesn’t have any doubts now. Maybe it is the adrenaline of the moment, the high of knowing he’s doing something he’s never thought of before, something he never even imagined doing, but he has no second thoughts now. He knows what he needs to do and he’s ready to do it. 

“So, you’re sure.” 

He looks at Taehyung, “I am. I’ll win that ceremony despite my family’s attempts to stop me from doing so. I’ll arrive with that little snake by my side and I’ll take that Ravenclaw crown.” His words are clipped, full of anger, something not usually shown by Jungkook, but being here, about to do this, just reminds him of the things his family pushes him to do. They are all greedy for power and Jungkook is no different. But at least he’s just about it. 

“Here comes your lover boy, then,” Taehyung says. Jungkook’s eyes snap towards the entrance—the doors opening to reveal Jimin with both of his friends by his sides, chatting freely—and for the first time, Jungkook takes the seconds to watch Park Jimin. After all, that’ll be his boyfriend for the next few days. 

Jungkook isn’t blind. Jimin is hot . He radiates elegance, has a lithe body, and walks like he owns every room he enters. He’s Jungkook’s enemy for a reason—they were brought up the same, and two people who expect to have everything at their feet are bound to disagree at some point. 

They’re neighbors, too. Not like that served as anything since both Park and Jeon estates are big enough to not see each other, but the implication of being neighbors was enough. They grew on hating and seeing who’s better. 

Now they’ll be… a couple. 

“I’m going in.”

“So fast?!” Taehyung’s voice shakes as he whisper-yells. It brings a smile to Jungkook’s face to know the Hufflepuff is more nervous than Jungkook who’s doing the deed himself. 

“He already knows I want something. I'll use that to my advantage.” Then he’s walking, straight towards Jimin, who’s resting on one of the rounded tables, still chatting and laughing with his friends. Jungkook sees the moment Jimin looks at him, but more than anything he can feel it. 

There’s something about Jimin’s gaze, as if he could manipulate it into whatever he wanted. It catches you, because he has that look, one that feels that can decipher all your secrets with just a few seconds looking at you. 

“Oh, I’m not staying here for this.” Jungkook hears the moment he's within Jimin’s space. Hoseok looks Jungkook up and down and smiles to himself, gaze moving towards Min Yoongi, another Slytherin. 

“I don’t feel like leaving Min alone with a Jeon,” Yoongi says. He’s always been a close friend of Jimin’s, practically inseparable. Jungkook even thought, for a while, that they were a couple. They’re both handsome and radiate intimidating energy, but there’s something that puts them perfectly apart. 

Yoongi intimidates naturally. It’s just who he is. He has a certain kind of gaze that tells you to stay away. He’s quiet, doesn’t like people and expects the worst from everyone. 

Jimin intimidates for fun— he’s sultry, seductive, he likes to create chaos. Jungkook has been around it for long enough to know. 

“The little kid can’t even hurt a fly. I’m good, Hyung,” Jimin says, elbows resting on the table behind him and eyes trailing Jungkook from head to toe. Yoongi smirks and makes to leave, but only after scowling at Jungkook. Jungkook can’t help but scoff. He knows damn well he can’t take Jimin on—he’d probably lose in less than ten minutes—but it’s not something he enjoys acknowledging. Which, of course, Jimin takes advantage of. 

Jungkook thinks it’d be a good duel, though. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jimin says, a faux chiding tone in his voice once Yoongi and Hoseok leave them alone. “From what I can gather, you’re in need of me. You should look at me a little more nicely; woo me or something.” There’s a certain shrug that comes with the words, as if Jimin is actually waiting for Jungkook to do those things. There’s a slight side smile on his lips as he runs his ringed finger along the rim of his glass cup. 

Jungkook can’t help but wonder how all of these things, things he sees anyone do, look different when Jimin does them. 

He snaps out of it and scowls at Jimin. There’s no need for kindness when it’s obvious Jimin won’t help anyways, he just enjoys the attention. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Jungkook snaps back but what Jimin says makes sense. If he was in Jimin’s shoes, he’d ask the same. He would enjoy making his enemy woo him and treat him well. 

“I would actually. It’s not every day that I get to see a pretty boy following me around.” Jimin twirls his cup, his finger languidly tapping it, making a sharp sound when his ring hits the glass. “And for it to be Jeon Jungkook, the heartthrob of the girls and boys, I’m honestly flattered.” 

“Don’t be, I’m not following you around,” Jungkook ignores the slight scoff Jimin lets out and the way he raises an eyebrow and continues “and I’m only here because I need help.” The words are still unfamiliar to him, they sit almost like acid in his stomach every time he wants to say them. It’s infuriating. 

“But you need my help. Even risked a willow beating for it. I mean, Jeon, please.” There’s a smugness in his tone, a slight teasing, and it irks at Jungkook’s patience how much Jimin is enjoying this. “We’re at the beginning of an awesome friendship, don’t you think? Beating the family drama?” 

Personally, Jungkook doesn’t think so. Is there even a way for them to really be anything without drama? The sole reason Jungkook is even pursuing this—besides his personal benefit, of course— is because of the family drama. Arriving with Jimin on his arm will be like dropping a bomb on the Jeon household, it feels exciting. 

But, besides that, there’s nothing real that can brew between them. 

“That depends,” it really doesn’t, but Jungkook likes the way his words catch Jimin’s attention, “will you help me or not?” 

“I may be inclined to, given the right motivation.” Jimin shrugs a shoulder, snapping his fingers at a floating tray to get another drink. Jungkook doesn’t move his head, but he tries his best to track the tray with drinks through the reflection in the mirror behind Jimin. 

“What would the right motivation be?”  

“I wouldn’t mind—” but Jimin’s words are drowned out by the clatter of glasses falling, both Jimin and Jungkook turn, only to find Taehyung stumbling and looking dumbfounded at the mess of glass cups on the floor.

It’s Jungkook’s cue. Then, as if the world was in his favor, the tray with drink passes right by his side. He chances a glance towards Jimin, who’s still looking at Taehyung, and takes out the potion. He dumps it into Jimin’s glass and then takes another one for himself. 

When he turns towards Jimin, Jimin is slowly turning, too; his eyes travel to the cups instantly. Jungkook feels the hairs on the nape of his neck stand up. There’s a silent prayer that he starts in his mind, almost begging whatever deity that Jimin didn’t notice his play with the liquid. 

Jimin raises an eyebrow and extends his hand. Jungkook tries to hold the slight tremble of his hand when he pushes the cup towards Jimin’s space. 

“See?” Jimin says, using his free hand to trace the border of the glass with his ringed finger, a custom he has from what Jungkook can see. “You can be a gentleman, Jeon.” Jimin tips the cup forwards and Jungkook gets a glimpse of the shiny liquid. It’s there, but he can only truly see it since he had done the potion, otherwise it passes really well as whatever drink the seventh year’s conjured up. 

“Cheers.” Jimin says. He brings the glass to his lips and there’s a little wiggle of his nose and Jungkook’s hands get clammy, so, to hide his nerves more than anything, he cheers too.

“Cheers.” And then he brings the cup to his lips, downing it fully. He looks at Jimin swirling the liquid close to his mouth, not drinking it, and Jungkook can feel his heart speed up.

Baddum, killed by Jimin in a duel. Baddum , thrown out of Hogwarts for using a forbidden potion. Baddum , losing the Ravenclaw head. Baddum, baddum. It threatens to tear his chest up with every second that passes. 

But then Jimin presses his lips to the glass, the liquid touching his lips and making them shimmer, too. Jimin slowly tips his head back to down the liquid and as he does, he looks at Jungkook, never breaking eye contact. Jungkook shivers under his gaze. 

Jimin finishes the drink in one go and Jungkook’s heart comes to a stop with the last drop. 

“I don’t know which drink was in that cup but, god , it even smelt good.” Jimin turns a bit to put the glass on the round table he’s leaning on, and Jungkook takes a slight second to catch Taehyung’s eyes at the other end of the room, wild and panicky. 

It’s exactly how Jungkook feels, but he’s good at keeping a stoic face. He turns back to Jimin, who’s already looking at him, and Jungkook can hear the flatline of a heart machine. 

But then Jimin smiles, a real smile. Jungkook has to hold the urge to step back, almost scared by the sudden change. Jimin’s eyes crinkle with his smile, and only now does Jungkook note how much they look like the moon—like little crescents shining through. 

“So, where were we?” Jimin says, tilting his head to the side. He straightens up and, for some reason, he looks brighter, calmer. He looks at Jungkook, making a show of it, opening his eyes wide. 

“What is wrong with you?” Jungkook says, completely taken aback with the action. Jimin is actually sizing him up, scanning him up and down, and then training his gaze on Jungkook’s face. 

“Have I ever told you that you’re beautiful?” The words are said in a whisper. They sound pure. Pure enough that Jungkook forgets the room for a second.

Only a second. 

His world erupts after the small moment, and he can feel his subconscious dancing because he knows, he knows the potion worked. There’s no way Jimin would say such a thing if it hadn’t. It’s dirty, a part of Jungkook knows how wrong this is, but it’s what he needs to do. 

He turns back to look at Taehyung. The Hufflepuff is lost in conversation, but as if sensing Jungkook’s gaze, he doesn’t miss a beat to meet Jungkook’s eyes. Jungkook smiles, wide and real, and Taehyung mirrors it back. 

He turns back to Jimin and finds the Slytherin with a small smile on his face. It’s so weird to see; so out of character to find that this is Jimin, too. But Jungkook tries to not focus on that, he doesn’t have time to figure out what things he can get out of Jimin now. He doesn’t have time to play around with whatever real effect the potion does. 

He just needs one thing. And that’s the only thing he wants to get out of Jimin. 

“Jimin,” Jungkook looks around and grabs Jimin's wrist, “let’s go outside.” There’s a still moment between them, when Jungkook looks down at where his hand completely covers Jimin's wrist, and when he looks at Jimin, he finds him looking at where they touch, too. Jungkook waits, trying to see how Jimin will react. In any other moment, Jimin would have Jungkook blasted away, pressed to a wall with the tip of his wand pressed into his neck. 

Jimin would’ve never let Jungkook touch him, not without a fight. He would’ve never let Jungkook tell him what to do. 

Now, though, Jimin frees his wrist from Jungkook’s hold and Jungkook panics,only for a second, because the next, Jimin is intertwining their fingers, looking up at Jungkook and smiling. 

“Let’s go,” he says, walking in front and pulling a dumbfounded Jungkook along. The Ravenclaw makes sure to look back, finding Taehyung’s bewildered eyes, and then points down at where his hand is enveloped in Jimin’s. There’s a silent talk with their eyes, and Jungkook is too busy trying to process that his plan actually worked. When he makes it out of the party room, and there’s only his steps and Jimin’s echoing through the empty halls, there’s one sentiment he knows he shared incredibly well with his best friend. 

This is absolutely insane. 

“Jimin,” Jungkook hisses, his voice echoing through the halls, but Jimin just keeps walking. Only when they’re drowned in nothing but silence for five minutes does Jungkook find out where they’re going. “The tower is out of bounds, Park,” he says, but to no avail. Jimin just keeps pulling him along, squeezing their intertwined hands. 

“It’s precisely why we’re going there, love.” Jimin says, turning back to smile at Jungkook. It’s new; new and weird. Jungkook thinks that more than training Jimin to act like his partner, he’s gonna have to train himself to act like this—whatever they’re doing—is normal. He didn’t know the potion would work this efficiently. 

Park Jimin just called him ‘love’  for fuck’s sake. The big bad snake, the one people talk about and call ruthless. The one that can’t stand Jungkook. Jimin, his greatest enemy, just called him ‘ love’. And Jungkook is too shocked and freaked out to even look like it’s a normal thing between them. He definitely needs to work on himself. 

Once they’re almost at the top of the stairs to get to the tower, the chilly night air makes its way into Jungkook’s bones and he can’t help but shiver. He hates coming up here, he hasn’t been since he passed astronomy class. No one likes to come here. The place is always deserted for a reason; the great headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, died on this very tower. People say his essence—or something, Jungkook doesn’t really know—is here. There’s also rumors of the lives lost in the great Battle of Hogwarts, how many fought that day on this very tower. 

The whole castle is a graveyard, but everywhere else there are people and activities going on every day, there’s light and warmth. The astronomy tower, though, is the highest point. It's dark and chilly, and has awful visibility thanks to the fog and clouds up there. Jungkook hates it, because if you’re with someone there, you’d have to be close all the time. Being even five steps away can make it difficult to see the other person, thanks to the fog. 

Walking in the tower is like walking on clouds and it isn’t like what people would expect it to be. 

Jimin lets go of his hand once they make it to the last step and finally step onto the tower platform. As Jungkook expected, it’s too chilly, dark, and clouded. The only visible thing is the blurred lights of the castle far away, and Jimin, who’s a foot away from Jungkook. 

“Why did you bring me here?” Jungkook says, pushing his glasses up and crossing his arms to warm himself. Jimin is looking out, hands by his sides and hair flowing with the slight wind. He turns back slowly to face Jungkook and Jungkook can’t help but step back. Jimin looks almost unreal, his blonde hair stands out in the darkness and the fog wraps around him, but it doesn’t bother him any more than that. He’s standing right in the middle of the railing, and the scenery outside—even blurred by the slight flog—serves only to accentuate Jimin’s presence. 

“I like it here,” Jimin simply says.His voice is barely a whisper, but it’s loud enough in the quiet of the tower. It’s just the two of them here and the soft rustle of the wind, “And I—” Jimin stops, tilting his head to the side, and huffs a little. He rolls his eyes, then looks outside. Jungkook, meanwhile, doesn’t understand a thing. He’s a stranger to Jimin’s actions and what they mean, all he knows is Jimin’s rude and cold side. 

All he knows is the Jimin that is his enemy. 

This Jimin, influenced by amortentia, is kinder, softer. Perhaps the traits and the way that Jimin is with his friends, with people he doesn’t hate. 

“I like you,” Jimin says, and Jungkook has to hold himself tighter; has to try hard to not roll his eyes, to not call Jimin a liar. He keeps forgetting that Jimin does really like him, Jimin has no choice but to like him. The potion makes it so. 

It is a lie, a faux liking but for the Jimin under the potion’s influence—it’s as real as anything else. 

So, Jungkook plays his part. “Y-you do?” The stutter comes out naturally, he’s still talking to Park Jimin after all. He’s never been around someone influenced by a love potion, so he’s not sure how far it goes. Maybe Jimin’s real feelings are somewhere under it. Plus,  they’re in a scary place, so he’s nervous, unsure of how nice Jimin will really act. 

“I do.” His eyes are back on Jungkook, and he closes the distance between them. “I always have. You’re just a bit too competitive and fixed on being a good Ravenclaw to notice.” Jimin actually pouts as he says the words, and Jungkook can’t help but stare, unable to believe this is really happening. Jimin doesn’t mind his lack of an answer. He just gets closer, putting his hands out between them. 

“What?” Jungkook says, looking down at Jimin’s hands. 

“Give me your hands.” Jungkook keeps his arms neatly crossed by his chest, ignoring Jimin and the Slytherin pulls his arms himself, taking Jungkook’s hands in his. “You’re cold,” he says, as if that explains what he’s doing. 

He takes Jungkook’s hands and puts them, palms up, in the space between them, but still close to each other. Then, on top of Jungkook’s hands, he puts one of his own. With his free hand he takes his wand and slowly points it towards their hands. Jungkook feels so out of place, he sees the striking difference between his hands and Jimin’s, how small Jimin’s hand is, how warm it feels on top of his cold hands. 

“What are you doing?” Jungkook says, startled. Jimin may be under a love potion’s influence, but Jungkook has years of not trusting the Slytherin, it’s a bad habit to break in such a short amount of time. So, he pulls his hands back, on instinct. 

“Stop, I won’t hurt you. Trust me.” 

Jungkook can’t help the huff that escapes him, but he does put his hands back. Jimin slowly points his wand and whispers a protection spell. Jungkook frowns.

“What’s that f—” 

“ Incendio .”

“Wha—” There’s a small flame that takes life beautifully on top of their hands. Jungkook’s heart is racing too fast for him to understand how it isn’t burning them. “How did you do that?” His eyes are trained on the flame, how it dances on top of their hands. It’s warm and instantly helps with the slight coldness he felt. He looks up to find Jimin already looking at him, a smug smile on his face. 

“It’s easy when you know how to control your magic enough.” Jimin shrugs. “You mix the two spells: protect yourself with the protection charm and then cast the fire.” Jimin pockets his wand and puts his free hand on top of the fire. Jungkook watches him smile a little, and then he’s looking up into Jungkook’s eyes. “You’re not cold anymore, are you?” 

Jungkook’s eyes stay on Jimin. He watches the twinkling flame cast Jimin’s face in a beautiful orange hue, and reflect almost perfectly in Jimin’s eyes. For a second, he can’t help but think that Jimin is beautiful. How this Jimin, with his eroded edges and soft manners, radiates warmth just like the flame he just cast between them. 

“I’m not,” Jungkook whispers. Maybe in a world where they were more than Jungkook from the Ravenclaw head family and Jimin from the Slytherin’s, they could’ve been good friends. 

But that’s exactly who they are. They’re the same in many things and it’s that fact that keeps them worlds apart. 

“Jimin, can I ask you something?” He took Jimin out of that party for a reason. Jimin’s actions have distracted him enough, and his thoughts are too confused. He never thought watching Jimin actually be nice to him would affect him this much and he doesn’t like it. He needs to do what he came here to do, now that his plan actually worked. He can’t get sidetracked, not now, not so close. 

“Sure,” Jimin says, unaware of Jungkook’s turmoil, he blows out the flame and Jungkook tries to hide the way he instantly misses the warmth. 

“I need your help.” 

“Okaaaay, with what?” 

“You—” Jungkook breathes deeply, for some reason he expects to be turned down even now, “You know that my family is having the inheritance ceremony soon—as in, this Monday soon—right?” 

For the first time since Jimin took the love potion, the Slytherin does something that doesn’t throw Jungkook off, something entirely natural for him; he smirks and then laughs. “I’m sorry,” he says between small laughs, using his hand to hide his smile, “it’s just, the Jeon’s— well , Jeon Hae-joon—sure plays dirty for a Ravenclaw.” Jimin’s laughs subside, and this time he looks at Jungkook with something he can’t quite decipher, and it’s like they’re back to how it always was. It’s calming in some weird way. This is the Jimin he’s used to.

“Of course I know she’s doing the inheritance ceremony. If I were her, I’d do it that way, too. You lack the control your brother probably has. And I heard he went to advanced magic, so he has a few tricks there. He also married Naeun from the Ravenclaws. There’s no way you can beat him now, magic tests are tricky.” Jimin scrunches his nose, as if remembering something and then shrugs. 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Jungkook already knew all of that. He knows the only reason they’re doing it now is because of that. Tests that determine the amount of magic one has are trickier than any other—it’s not just who’s more powerful or has more magic, it’s who has control, who has the most knowledge of that magic. 

“You’re welcome,” Jimin says, cheeky, “but you are more powerful than your brother. I’ve heard the talks, he wasn’t half of what you are at his age.” The compliment sits warm with Jungkook and it feels even better coming from Jimin—his enemy. The usual Jimin would have never complimented Jungkook. “Every time I think about it I can’t help but think how good of a Slytherin your mom would be. She’s so ambitious, and petty, too. She picked a child that would benefit her, leaving you to fend for yourself.” 

“Are you trying to make me feel bad?” Jungkook frowns. He doesn’t have the best relationship with his mother, he knows, and she’s all eyes for Junghyun, but still. 

“Not at all, I’m stating the lay of the land. I should know well what it is you’re about to ask for my help with, shouldn’t I, love?” There’s that name again, love , and Jungkook still isn’t used to it. “I’m not sure if I can prepare you in such a short time. Learning control is so different from just learning magic.” 

“What? No, I—,” Jungkook sighs, pushing his hair back, “I don’t want you to teach me anything.”

Jimin seems taken aback, eyebrows furrowing and head tilting in that soft way it always does. “How am I supposed to help you?” 

“You’re going with me to the ceremony.” 

“I am?” Jimin raises an eyebrow and Jungkook stutters his next words.

“I mean— I mean, well, that’s— I’m asking you. I need your help and I’m asking if you’ll go to the ceremony with me.” He knows very well that he can’t actually learn or practice enough to somehow simulate enough control in such a short time. He thought about it, but the only way for him to win is to have Jimin with him. The scale will forever be in his favor, then. 

It’s a good thing Jeon tradition allows taking the test with one’s partner. Even if his family may see behind his play, they can’t do anything if both he and Jimin say and show that they’re together. 

There’s a little shine that makes its way into Jimin’s eyes, as if what Jungkook just said was the most amazing thing in the world—perhaps for someone influenced by a love potion, it was, “You want me to be your partner?” Jimin looks right into Jungkook’s eyes, his brown crescent moons shining bright. 

“Yes.”

“So, we like each other?” He asks the questions with such a genuine tone, that even Jungkook takes his time to answer it. 

“I— I mean, yeah. We’ll be partners.” 

“Boyfriends.” 

“What?”

“You’re asking me to be your boyfriend.” Jimin says, the beginnings of a smile forming. When Jungkook really thinks about it, the word partner is too vague, perhaps for his family it won’t be enough when it comes to the ceremony. 

It needs feeling. 

“I am.” He'll go to the ceremony with Park Jimin as his boyfriend. 

Jimin smiles so hard that, for a second, Jungkook thinks someone cast a lumos charm around them, illuminating the lonely astronomy tower. Jungkook just stares until Jimin jumps to close the distance between them and suddenly, there’s a small blonde in his arms. 

The Slytherin is hugging him. 

“Jimi—”

“I’ve always wanted to have a boyfriend,” Jimin whispers, right by Jungkook’s ear. It takes a few seconds for Jungkook to lose the tension, to lose the shock from having Jimin literally hugging him, but he decides to give in. He hugs Jimin back, might as well get started with that whole ‘ boyfriends’ thing .

“Yeah,” Jungkook says, patting Jimin's back a bit weirdly. “Me too.” It’s a lie. Jungkook has never been interested in being with someone. Even with all the uncertainties in his life, he’s never really thought about having a lover, about marrying. He’s pretty sure about what he likes, yeah, he’s a young adult already, so he knows. But it doesn’t mean it necessarily interested him. He never cared for love, or having someone. 

But what’s a little white lie now? After all, this is all a lie anyways. A little magic is what makes Jimin feel all of this. 

It’s love spurred on by the love potion, 

He’s giving a charmed lie, for love. 

Chapter Text

Jungkook never really thought about relationships. It may have been the fact that his family thrives on strong unions and partners, or that he had no interest in them, but he never really thought about having one. His family would always bother him, would always make small parties and gatherings to try and make Jungkook just pick someone, anyone. 

But Jungkook had a certain grudge to keep. They didn’t want him to receive the head of Ravenclaw, yet they still wanted to control him, all because of family honor. He had to marry who they wanted, even if he couldn’t get what he wanted. 

And he always noticed too, how none of the prospects his mom would introduce him to were powerful, they were ordinary wizards. Nothing like his brother's wife, or any of the suitors his brother met before her. Ever since then, Jungkook vowed that not only would he not take a partner, but that he’d win the Ravenclaw head all by himself. He only needed time, but his family knew that, too. Which is the only reason they’re doing all of this. It’s also the reason why—even after his competitive urge of winning by himself—he decided to compromise and take a partner. 

Because if his family wants to play dirty, he can do it too. 

He’s just not sure how good he is at acting, which is a great factor in his whole plan. “Hello, love.” It’s been only half a day with a boyfriend, and Jungkook is sure he’s doing something wrong. He’s also sure, or shocked, more than anything, because neither his or Jimin’s friends have questioned a thing. 

And there’s a lot, a lot of things to question. 

“Jimin,” he says, voice airy, as he feels Jimin’s hand running along the nape of his neck. Jimin takes a seat right by his side, and Jungkook can feel Jin’s eyes on him. He keeps looking at his food, though, and tries to look as comfortable as he can with Jimin so close to him. There’s the clearing of a throat, and when Jungkook looks up there’s Jung Hoseok and Min Yoongi taking a seat too—right by Seokjin’s side. He makes the mistake of looking at Seokjin and the death stare he receives in return sends shivers down his spine. 

“I think I’ve never heard the Great Hall this quiet.” Taehyung looks around, and then nudges Jungkook’s shoulder. “Break the silence, this is weird.” Jungkook looks up and half the people in the Great Hall are looking at them. He clears his throat, but before he says anything there’s a hand on his thigh. Jungkook coughs, body tensing up. He looks at Jimin and there’s only a small smile that he gets in return. 

Jimin looks past Jungkook. “Don’t worry about it, Taehyung,” he says, offering a kind smile to Taehyung. Jungkook can feel his best friend pinch his thigh ever so slightly and Jungkook understands—it’s not easy having Park Jimin being nice— but he moves his leg a bit to shake the Hufflepuff off. 

“They all like a little drama but—” Jimin stops mid-sentence and stands a little bit. Almost instantly the Great Hall turns back to its normal chatter and all heads turn away. “It goes over their heads pretty quickly.” 

“I don’t mean to be rude—” Jungkook is already shaking his head at Jin, praying to god he doesn’t say anything, “...but why are you here? I mean, it’s cool but— well,” Jin laughs, and Jungkook can see the tips of his ears burning red. “It’s new.” He clears his throat, refusing to make eye contact with Jimin. 

“ Oh,” Jimin says, and Jungkook can feel how Jimin’s hand on his thigh squeezes, but it’s so fast that Jungkook thinks he perhaps imagined it. “You didn’t tell them?” Jimin turns to him, now putting his free hand on top of the one on Jungkook’s thigh, the pressure grounds Jungkook, but it also makes him tense up even more. Jimin looks directly into his eyes, and pouts, bottom lip out fully out. 

“I—I was goin—” Jungkook stutters, breaking eye contact with Jimin and turning towards the table, catching the eyes of Min Yoongi, who looks seconds away from using an Unforgivable curse on Jungkook. 

“It’s okay.” Jimin moves and leaves only one hand on Jungkook’s leg, tapping it twice in comfort. “It’s rather new, I’ll tell them.” There’s a skip to his words, and Jungkook knows it must be the potion at work, because Jimin seems actually happy and excited to share the news. He stops touching Jungkook completely, and only then does Jungkook breathe fully. Jimin puts both of his elbows on the table and then rests his chin on his hands, smiling with his lips—a good boy smile. 

“I’m Jungkook’s boyfriend.” He smiles fully then, a blinding smile on display. 

Taehyung knew already, so maybe it’s having Jimin say it, or maybe he’s faking it for Jungkook’s sake, but he gasps anyway, hand over his mouth and everything. Jungkook’s eyes trail towards Seokjin and the Gryffindor is looking at Jimin as if he grew two heads. Jung Hoseok’s and Yoongi's expressions are not what Jungkook expected. Yoongi looks scary, sure—he always does—but other than that he and Hoseok share the same bored faces. 

Perhaps Jimin already told them, maybe they don’t intervene too much in what their friend does and Jungkook sighs in relief at the knowledge. That’s something less to worry about. 

“You’re—” Jin starts, eyes threatening to leave his skull, he turns to Hoseok, out of everyone at the table, as if the Hufflepuff had better answers. “They’re what?” he asks.

Hoseok looks up from his plate, food in mouth. “Boyfriends,” he says after swallowing his food. There’s a moment where he looks at Jimin, then he puts his utensils down and laughs a bit. “Crazy right? They’re actually competing for the best looking couple at Hogwarts besides us,” he adds, bumping his shoulder with Yoongi who only grumbles in response. 

“Uh—”

“We’re happy, Hyung.” Jungkook knows Seokjin will start asking too many questions. He needs to avoid them at all costs. By no means will he risk a scolding from the Gryffindor, not when his inheritance ceremony is only a few days away. There’s less than three days, really, he can avoid it. Jungkook takes Jimin’s hand in his, for good measure. Not even a beat passes and Jimin is squeezing back, nodding. 

“We are, Kim Seokjin-ssi.” Jimin tilts his head to the side, that damn action that drives Jungkook insane. From what he’s learned, it can mean so many things, all depending on the situation and Jimin’s mood. He does it to intimidate, to seem kind, innocent, and he also does it to flirt. He uses it for everything and sometimes Jungkook is unable to decipher which one he’s receiving. 

For Seokjin, though, Jungkook knows Jimin is using his goody two-shoes look. “Oh, call me Hyung, Jimin, it’s alright.” And the look works like a charm , every. damn. time. 

Jungkook needs to hold back the urge to roll his eyes. Jimin has such power that he can reel anyone in, it’s incredible, truly. Jimin even giggles, hand covering his smile. He’s a great actor—Jungkook will give him that—because Kim Seokjin is nothing but smiles after that. 

They continue eating, Jungkook catching scandalized looks from Taehyung every now and then. There’s Jimin putting food on his plate, too, like a domestic couple who take care of each other. Jungkook tries hard to remind himself throughout the meal to do the same, but he can’t rival Jimin’s perfect boyfriend acts, he has no chance there. Jimin even cleans the corner of his mouth once. Jungkook gulps, almost scared enough to stand up and run right then and there because having Jimin so close and touching him is too unbelievable and freaky for him to get used to so fast. After the meal, they chat softly between the newly formed friend group, thanks to the latest additions, and not for one second does Jimin’s hand leave Jungkook’s leg.

It’s maddening. 

“Well, we should get to class,” Seokjin says, never the one to arrive late. Everyone starts softly tidying and standing up.

“Let’s go, Kook,” Taehyung says, but Jimin takes Jungkook’s hand and laces their fingers together. Taehyung doesn’t even question it, eyeing their hands and then looking at Jimin. He makes eye contact with Jungkook and shrugs. 

There’s no words, but the action speaks for itself. 

“I thought I could walk you to your class.” They both stand fully now, away from the table and ready to leave. “If that’s okay with you,” Jimin adds, innocently blinking at Jungkook, brown eyes looking up at Jungkook’s dark ones. 

Jungkook forces a smile, clearing his throat, “It is.” He receives a big smile in response, and a squeeze of his hand. Then Jimin is turning and walking out of the Great Hall with Jungkook following diligently behind. All heads turn as they pass behind people still eating at their tables. Jungkook does his best to ignore the stares and murmurs. Focusing instead on where his hand meets Jimin’s and then training his eyes on Jimin’s blond hair. 

He never really thought about relationships. But most of all, he never thought Park Jimin would be the one he’d experience—however fake it may be—one with. 

He can’t say for sure that he doesn’t feel anything. There’s an onslaught of emotions that overcome him every time Jimin does something out of character. The way Jimin looks at Jungkook, how he fixes the way they hold hands because he prefers fingers intertwined instead of regular hand holding, the way he accompanies Jungkook everywhere, if he can. It hasn’t even been 72 hours since Jimin drank the potion, and Jungkook thinks no one will rival the way Jimin treated him through all this fantasy. Maybe he thinks so because he’s never actually been in a relationship, maybe it is because it feels different to have a kind Jimin beside him rather than the hostile, taunting one. 

Through it all, though, Jungkook tries not to think too much about what he feels, because he’s not sure of what it is, anyways. There’s confusion, the slight shyness he gets when Jimin stares at him for too long. Then there’s the usual petty hate he still saves for Jimin—they’re enemies after all. They’re all conflicting emotions, so Jungkook lets himself be guided by Jimin, and tries not to think too much about it. 

.•*•.•*•.

Walking the halls of Hogwarts with Jimin by his side has a certain kind of power that is exhilarating. They’ve always been the talk on their own—they’re those heirs, after all—but the looks and murmurs every time they walk together make Jungkook feel invincible. He’s convincing himself that it has nothing to do with Jimin, that it’s just the attention, a thing he inevitably loves thanks to his upbringing—but it’s there. 

And it wasn’t there before. These little things are the parts that he, begrudgingly, needs to accept are enjoyable too. It’s annoying to do so, but there’s moments of certain superiority that he has never felt before. And they’re all thanks to Jimin. 

“Will we do something tomorrow?” Jimin asks once they reach the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room. The halls are deserted, even the people inside the paintings are hidden and resting. It’s a Saturday, a day he’d usually stay in, maybe go home, but no—Jungkook spent all day with Jimin. 

Jimin had Saturday classes—another reason why Jungkook isn’t so mad about not pursuing advanced courses—and after his classes, he was waiting for Jungkook right at the entrance of the Great Hall for lunch. Jungkook thought that, just like yesterday, they’d eat together. 

Jimin had other plans. 

They spent the whole day together at Hogsmeade. It was supposed to be just the two of them, but Jungkook had some debts to pay, which resulted in Jin and Taehyung tagging along. Which then motivated Jimin into inviting his own friends. “It could be like a triple date!” the Slytherin had said, excited, completely ignoring Taehyung’s and Seokjin’s disgusted faces, and planning their entire Hogmeade day out.  

Jungkook has to give it to Jimin, or maybe to the love potion—he’s not sure anymore what is Jimin’s and what is Jimin’s influenced brain—but that was the most fun he ever had at a Hogsmeade trip. And for him to say that, it’s a big deal, Kim Taehyung is his best friend, after all. 

Jimin also paid for everything, insisting that he had to take care of his boyfriend. Unknown to the internal turmoil the word stirred on Jungkook, paired with the fact that they’ve been attached at the hip the whole day, Jungkook is slowly slipping, and he’s not sure if for the better or worse. Jimin even sat on his lap once today, something that Jungkook is sure triggered a mini heart attack. 

The day was great, and for some minutes he even forgot this was all fake—which is dangerous—so, he needs a break. Not from Jimin, because, once again, surprisingly this Jimin is the most fun and caring person Jungkook has ever met. If he were to strip his rocky past from Jimin and stay with this version of Jimin, they’d be best friends. 

“You still have energy to spend the day with me tomorrow?” Jungkook says seriously, but he keeps his tone playful. He and Jimin took the path to Hogwarts alone. Seokjin decided to go home for the weekend and Taehyung, surprisingly, left with Hoseok and Yoongi. It was peaceful, quiet, and for some reason it brought a kind of comfort that Jungkook didn’t know he needed. So, he’s thankful for the Slytherin. 

Ever since he found out about the ceremony, he’s been running, both physically and mentally. First it was the feeling of betrayal—even if he never expected anything less from his family—then the rush to find what to do so he could still save his dream of becoming the next Ravenclaw head. There was also coming to terms with what he had done. Plus, getting used to having Jimin by his side, even if it has been more pleasant than he expected, has been like running a marathon, nonstop. Jungkook never really stopped to think about how much everything had really affected him until those quiet moments back to Hogwarts with Jimin. 

It felt natural—comforting, even—walking back hand in hand, because Jimin refused to let go of him, just enjoying his company. It made Jungkook wonder, for just a moment, if he should think more about being in a relationship. Because surely—forgetting the love potion bit—if he can find it in himself to enjoy himself with his enemy, then maybe trying with someone he actually likes would work even better. 

“I do.” Jimin shrugs, head tilting down in a way that makes him look shy. “You’re actually fun, Jungkook, who would’ve thought?” They’re still loosely holding hands, the tips of their fingers the only thing connecting them. Jimin tugs on them a bit every now and then, but the closeness they’re sharing stops them from really separating. 

“Well, if we spent less time hating each other you would’ve noticed,” Jungkook jokes. He laughs as he says the words, eyes crinkling and everything. When he looks at Jimin, though, the older is serious in a way that makes Jungkook stop immediately. Jimin tilts his head to the side, and his face relaxes a bit, but there’s still that slight frown between his eyebrows. “Uh—” Jungkook is sure he messed up. “So, tomorrow, it’s—uh, it’s my birthday.” He didn’t want to tell Jimin about it, he hates celebrating his birthday. 

But the moment the words are out Jimin’s whole demeanor changes. He straightens up and squeezes where their fingers are barely holding onto each other, eyes looking up at Jungkook in that crescent shine of theirs; he becomes the Jimin that Jungkook wishes was real. “It’s your birthday?” The words are said with an immense smile, as if it was Jimin’s own birthday and Jungkook breathes in, calm, Jimin’s earlier expression had scared him a bit. 

“It is. But I don’t like birthdays, so I don’t want to do anything.” Even his friends leave him alone every time on his birthday. Most years it’s easy, since they’re always busy with classes or something, but this time it’s a Sunday and even that doesn’t change anything. Seokjin and Taehyung stole him from Jimin earlier today and bought some drinks at a shady store in Hogsmeade to celebrate, and that’s it. His cousin will probably send a letter, and Jungkook would spend his day napping or reading some comics Taehyung gifted him from the muggle world. 

“Oh.” Jimin seems taken aback, but his smile is still there, slowly becoming smaller. “That’s okay, we can just see each other, I mean, in a not-birthday related way, right?” He shrugs, and Jimin looks so—not Jimin—that Jungkook can’t help but give in. 

“I mean, yeah. Yeah, I guess. Let’s see how tomorrow goes.” Jungkook looks around. It’s night, and even if their voices are low, they’re the only thing that can be heard for miles. “I—I should go now and you should, too. It’s late now.” He slowly starts detangling his fingers from Jimin’s, and once it’s done he steps back, closer to the common room entrance. Maybe it’s knowing that Jimin is the way he is because of him, or maybe it’s the guilt that Jimin is being so caring because Jungkook made him be that way. 

It could also be the fact that having this scares him because, reluctantly, he has enjoyed this Jimin. But it’s all a lie, one that will burn once the ceremony is done. 

“Yeah,” Jimin says softly, “you’re right.” He starts backing up, too, turning around little by little. “Have a good night, Jungkook”. 

“You too, Jimin-ssi.” 

“Hyung.” 

“What?” 

Jimin stops, and smiles at Jungkook. “You can call me Hyung,” he says before turning around and skipping his way down the hall. Jungkook turns, ready to listen to the Eagle knocker’s riddle when Jimin calls out his name. He turns once more to find Jimin almost halfway to the end of the hall, hands by his mouth. 

“Did you have fun today?!” he yells, and Jungkook watches some portraits blink awake to look at them. They’re dead—nothing but moving paintings—yet he still goes red. 

“Huh?” 

“Today, did you have fun?” Jimin asks, hands coming down and waiting with a smile for Jungkook’s response. For Jungkook, finding that Jimin smiles this much, in a soft, genuine way, not in his usual smirk and taunting way, it’s one of the things he wishes would stick after all of this is done. 

Jimin is less scary that way. 

“I did!” he yells back, letting go of any worries for that moment. “Thanks to you!” That last part wasn’t really planned, but the way Jimin’s eyes crinkle makes him forget that he said it. Maybe using Jimin is a crime. He knows using Jimin is one of the lowest things he has ever done, using a love potion all for his benefit… He knows . But, maybe, he can pay it back by being nicer, by being genuine until this all passes by. 

At least something about all of this could be more than just a big charmed lie. “Good!” Jimin says, and before Jungkook can say anything else, he’s turning around the corner. Jungkook watches him go, unaware of the small smile he keeps on his face, he turns to the door, already thinking of his bed. 

“Who wins the liars game?” The knocker asks, and Jungkook is sleepy, but his brain has never failed him so badly, not like this anyways. 

“That’s not a riddle,” he snaps. He hopes no one is playing a prank on him because this isn’t the time to do so, not when he’s eagerly waiting to get to bed. 

“Who wins the liars game?”

Jungkook frowns, might as well entertain the eagle, “The one who deceives best.” 

“You’re right,” it says and opens the entrance for Jungkook. Any other day Jungkook would grumble and ask for a worthy riddle. This time though, he lets the weird behavior pass and moves to enter the common room. “But the one who deceives best—is the one who embeds the lie within the truth,” the eagle knocker says, just before closing the entrance once Jungkook is inside. Jungkook rolls his eyes. He would never question Ravenclaw’s traditions, but maybe they need to do some maintenance on their Eagle knocker. 

.•*•.•*•.

“Son.” 

Being home is bittersweet. The ceremony is tomorrow and it’s all Jungkook can think about. He turned twenty today, but it does nothing, like many times before, it’s a day just like any other. The only difference is his family being kinder, as if they were innocent, as if they weren’t threatening Jungkook’s whole dreams. 

“Happy birthday, son,” his mother says. 

It makes him sick to his stomach. 

“Thanks.” He doesn’t look at her, just moves towards the fridge and serves himself water. He can’t acknowledge his family's presence, it’ll make all the feelings he's bottling up explode. So, once he has his water he leaves her by the kitchen table and walks back to his room. 

“Would you join us for lunch? Your brother will arrive any second now with Naeun.” The doorbell rings right then, and from where Jungkook stands in the hallway he can look through the crystal doors to the outside. “Oh! That must be them,” his mother says, excitedly moving to stand, but Jungkook’s body is rigid. That’s not his brother. 

It’s Park Jimin. Ringing the doorbell to the Jeon’s household. 

“I’ll get it!” he yells, not even looking back to see if his mother had gotten up or not. He makes it to the door in almost record time, opens it and practically barrels into Jimin. He pulls the Slytherin to the side then peeks his head back inside. “I’ll be by the border gardens with Taehyung!” he yells inside to keep appearances more than anything. He knows his mother doesn’t care about what he does and is unlikely to check on him. 

He closes the door and holds Jimin by the arm, walking fast paced towards the border gardens. The Jeon household is on a big patch of land, surrounded by greenery on all sides. The gardens right by the border of where their territory ends are the most deserted and beautiful, because after that there’s only forest, so it’s quiet and nice. 

It’s his favorite place. Any other day he would loathe taking Jimin there, but anything is better than having Jimin at his house right now. 

“I am not Taehyung.” 

“I’m very aware you’re not, Jimin-ssi.” 

“It’s Hyung.” 

“Well, Hyung. I am very aware you’re not Taehyung,” Jungkook grumbles, rolling his eyes and pulling Jimin along a little bit faster. 

“Do you think it’s smart to manhandle me around like this? I wouldn’t say so,” Jimin teases, voice lower than normal. Jungkook stops instantly, Jimin hitting the brakes just inches away from Jungkook’s back and when Jungkook turns they’re too close. His heart is beating at a dangerous pace, brain dizzy with what he just heard. Those words sounded too much like past Jimin, uninfluenced Jimin. “What?” Jimin asks, doing that little tilt of his head. Jimin gets closer, bringing his free hand up, and for Jungkook this all feels a little too much like deja vu, like that day Jimin refused to help him. 

“Are you scared of me?” Jimin whispers, there’s nothing but his voice and the slight rustle of the wind. Jimin, unlike last time, uses his hand instead of his wand to push a strand of Jungkook’s hair back. He pulls back just a bit just to study Jungkook’s expression. 

Then he bursts out laughing. 

“I love that face,” he stops for a second to study Jungkook’s expression, then bursts into giggles, doubling over, holding onto Jungkook’s arm to keep from falling,  thanks to his laughter. “You get so spooked.” Then he laughs again. 

“You’re so mean.” Jungkook pouts to keep the air between them fun, but in reality, every time Jimin plays his little jokes, Jungkook feels like, by some miracle, the potion stopped working. It freezes his insides to even think about it. He can’t lose now that he’s so close to winning, he just can’t. So, he gets scared every time Jimin does one of his little mean boy jokes. By now, though, he should trust this is just hardwired into Jimin. It’s, like, the main ingredient of his little evil formula. 

Jimin takes Jungkook’s hand and does what apparently is his favorite thing to do; he interlaces their fingers together and tugs Jungkook along. “Do you even know where we are going?” Jungkook asks, dragging his feet behind Jimin. 

“To your favorite spot,” Jimin says, as if it’s something he’s always known and Jungkook frowns.

“How do you even know where it is? How do you even know it’s my favorite spot?” He doesn’t intend them to be, but the words come out in an accusing way. There’s no way Jimin would just know. Yes, they’ve had more conversations ever since the love potion; yes, they’ve spent an incredible amount of time together, but still, Jungkook has never talked about his little nook. 

“I spied on you, obviously.” The words are dropped in a very nonchalant way, as if Jimin isn’t confessing to something that he’d possibly kill someone for knowing, or hell, even insinuating. 

“You were…stalking me?” Jungkook chokes, he’s so caught up on the fact that Jimin has actually confessed to spying on him that he doesn’t even notice they arrived at his little spot. 

Jimin knew the way, as if this was somewhere he had been before, but Jungkook knows Jimin hasn’t been here, ever. This is the furthest garden in the Jeon household; there’s beautiful trees that surround a little square of dark tiles, where four small fountains sit at every corner. In the middle, there’s just a bench in the form of a circle, going around a tree that is so big it hides everything from the sun. 

“Hmm,” Jimin says, letting go of Jungkook's hand and sitting at the bench. “I used to love this tree.” He breathes in, head tilting up. “Did you know, if you walk straight in that direction,” Jimin points towards the forest, riddled with darkness thanks to the big trees, “you would have reached my house? This patch of land, those trees, it was part of the Slytherin state.” Jimin taps his heeled boot on the tile. “It’s why this floor is so dark, there’s green under that dark blue. This was my spot, too, me and my brother’s, before my parents sold this part of the land after my brother died.” 

“You had a brother?” Jimin hums, and it’s like a melody that blends with the sounds of trees and birds around them. Jungkook decides to give in, and sits right by Jimin’s side. 

“He couldn’t do magic. Squib, that’s what everyone called him. For me though, he was just Jihyun.” There’s a certain emotion in Jimin’s voice, and it tugs at Jungkook’s heart. It’s unknown, but it makes his hands itch, his chest feel tight. It makes him want to comfort Jimin. “He died. He was funny, he was talented, but he died anyway. He deserves life more than I ever did, and they killed him, all because he didn’t have magic.” 

“Wait. Was he in that school?” There was a small hidden cabin at the end of Hogsmeade. People who lacked magic, people who were very bad at it—people who didn’t like it—would go there. They’d learn about magic—the history, small defensive spells, the basics—but they’d learn things as if they were in a muggle school. 

They weren’t muggles, but they weren’t full wizards either, so they were forced to create a medium for themselves. That school was a safe place for them. It didn’t last long, even years after the battle there are still people that only believe in pure blood wizards. Even if they’re rare now, attacks happened frequently in the past. The school was the site of those attacks. On a normal Wednesday it was blown up, with every professor and student still inside. 

“He was. My parents are kind hearted, Jungkook. They loved us with everything they had. Many people still think those outdated lies that we are cruel and evil, but I’ve met love and learned love because of my parents, both of whom are Slytherins. They never wanted my brother to feel different, so we did everything together. But this one thing, this he wanted to do by himself. So they let him.” Jimin breathes and it’s nothing but a shuddering breath. This time Jungkook can’t help it, his hand moves on his own, and he takes Jimin’s without a word, putting their hands just by his knee. 

“You didn’t have to tell me, I’m sorry.” 

“I wanted to,” Jimin says, turning to look at Jungkook and punching all the air out of Jungkook’s lungs. There’s a certain vulnerability in the way he looks now. He looks delicate but even then he looks strong, his eyes are brimmed with tears, nose red as if Christmas had come sooner this year, and his cheeks colored the way the roses his father cuts are colored. It’s devastating, yet Jungkook can’t help but think it’s flawlessly beautiful, too. “My parents sold this land after that. There were too many memories attached to it. He was supposed to build a house here; we were supposed to be neighbors. But evil people won and he suffered. The newspaper never told the truth, but they all suffered.” 

“My cousin told me. When he became an Auror he learned about it all. He saw every case in detail. I’m so sorry Jimin.” The victims weren’t just there, the school was attacked, they were tortured—a Crucio curse done again and again—until those sick people had enough. 

“I’m no saint, Jungkook,” Jimin says. Jungkook’s confused for a moment, unsure of how that pertains to their conversation. “But I’ve never done an Unforgivable Curse. I’ve never done prohibited things, not serious things like that anyways. All I can think about is how my brother must have felt, and it twists my stomach in awful ways.” Jimin squeezes Jungkook’s hand. “I’m very grateful you are not like the rest and I’m very happy to have spent these days with you.” Jimin lets go of Jungkook’s hand and Jungkook’s heart drops to his stomach, the words Jimin just said, the things he just confided in Jungkook stirs a wild storm inside of him. 

He’s the shittiest person on Earth. 

“Jimin—” Jimin opens his palm and points his wand at it.

“I have a surprise for you,” he whispers, and from his hand comes a small keychain. When Jimin turns it, Jungkook feels his world stop. 

“Is that—”

“A small keychain in the form of Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem? Yes,” Jimin says, a small smug smile appearing on his teary face, “You don’t like birthdays, but maybe it’s because I wasn’t in your life then. I’m an awesome gift-giver.” 

“You were in my life, you were just busy making it a hell,” Jungkook says, eyes trained on the small keychain. “God, shut up. How did you even— God .” His vision gets blurry and he can’t believe that Park Jimin is the one making him act this way. No one, absolutely no one, has ever given him something so thoughtful before. This, without doubt, might actually be the greatest birthday he has ever had. 

“I’m an heir without a choice, I don’t really care so much about titles. Being the next Slytherin head is just something I inevitably have to do, but you, you actually want this. You’ve worked for it and it’s your dream. I don’t understand it, but I admire it. To have such passion for something, it’s inspiring to see.” Jimin raises his hand to let the keychain hang from his fingers, then gives it to Jungkook. “I think this is a worthy gift for the next Ravenclaw head.” 

“You’re insane. Fuck,” Jungkook laughs, taking the keychain, and Jimin lets out a watery laugh, too. The moment the keychain touches Jungkook’s hand he feels like there’s something making him fly. 

“I’ve been called worse,” Jimin says, laughing, watching Jungkook inspect the keychain. There’s a fleeting moment where Jungkook makes eye contact with Jimin, then he’s back to holding back the urge to jump with the little keychain in his hand. It’s beautiful, a perfect small replica of Ravenclaw’s diadem. 

It hits Jungkook, then, the weight of Jimin’s words. Jimin said he didn’t understand yet he still did—perfectly so—and brought Jungkook the greatest gift he has ever received. He didn’t understand, yet he still did, perfectly. He wasn’t supposed to care, yet he still arrived at Jungkook’s house, a place he knows he isn’t welcomed, just for Jungkook. 

It fills Jungkook with so much warmth that it threatens to burn him inside. But it’s all a lie. It’s the best moments of his life, the most sincere ones, and they’re all created by the illusion of a fake potion. Jimin poured his heart out, told his secrets; Jimin understood Jungkook, and all Jungkook did was lie. 

Lie and play with him. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Jimin says, tilting his head to the side, and it might be because they’ve poured their hearts out, it might be the moment, the tears, but he looks so naturally pure while he does so this time, that Jungkook’s entered existence explodes. 

He can’t do this. Not anymore. 

“I need to tell you something.” The seriousness in his tone makes Jimin’s smile disappear, and Jungkook’s heart is already threatening to stop beating. They were enemies before, but he’s not sure what they’ll be after this. He’s not sure if there’s a world where Jimin will forgive him after this. 

“What?” Jimin says, laughing nervously. “Don’t get so serious, just tell me.” He straightens up, sitting a little bit closer to the edge of the bench. There’s a slight space between them now, and Jungkook knows it’ll only get bigger from here on. 

“I’m so sorry, Jimin. I— I just,” Jungkook stutters. He’s not sure how to even begin; he never expected for Jimin to be this kind. Yes, he knew the love potion would help, he knew there would be an obsession, a faux feeling of love, but there are some things that not even the love potion could conjure up. To find that Jimin, between all his evil laughs and jokes, is actually this soft and pure person, makes Jungkook’s plan sick; it makes him want to throw up. 

“God, I’m sorry, you’re gonna hate me.” Jungkook brushes his hair back. He’s wrong, Jimin already does. The only reason he doesn’t right now is because Jungkook used that potion. “I’m so sorry, Hyung.” It’s true that he can’t be sure of what’s real or not, thanks to the Amortentia, but he knows, he knows all these things Jimin did, are not just because of a fabricated obsession. 

“Hey, hey.” Jimin gets close, hands coming to Jungkook’s face, soft and kind, too kind for the Slytherin Jungkook is supposed to hate. “I’m not sure what’s happening, but I’m fairly sure I won’t hate you. I don’t think I’m able to.” Jimin smiles, he’s worried, yes, but there’s a certain kindness even there. 

Jungkook, though, can’t help but laugh at the words, as if he were going insane. He rips his face out of Jimin’s hands, standing up so abruptly in front of the blonde that his glasses fall. “You don’t get it, Park.” There’s that telltale of their past, what they always were, what they’ve always been. The telltale of what should’ve never changed, and what Jungkook disrupted all for the sake of winning; all because he could only think of himself, of his achievements. “You already do. You already do!” He’s sure he’s not making any sense, and by the look on Jimin’s face, he clearly isn’t. He needs that Jimin back, the one who would’ve been standing by now, too. The one who would’ve had his wand in Jungkook’s pulse in the blink of an eye. 

There’s a change in Jimin’s eyes, and for a moment, he loses the tension, the terrified face he had while looking at Jungkook. The Slytherin sighs, bending slightly to pick up Jungkook’s fallen glasses. “Oculus reparo,” he whispers. Then he tilts his head up to look at Jungkook. There’s a million things that Jungkook wants to say, a particular thing that’s threatening to come out of his mouth, clawing its way out so the truth can finally come out. But Jungkook swallows it all, opting to watch Jimin, this Jimin.

The Jimin who’s nothing but a lie. 

“What are you doing?” Jungkook asks, defeated. Jimin is finally standing, body only a few inches away from Jungkook’s. It’s deja vú all over again. Again, Jimin brings his hands up, this time with Jungkook’s glasses in them, and he gently places them on Jungkook’s face, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear too. 

“Being kind,” Jimin whispers. “Which, I fear, may have driven you insane.” Jungkook frowns, unsure of what that means, and Jimin uses his thumb to ease the frown, smiling just a bit. “Look, Jungkook—” Jimin’s starts, but his eyes trail behind Jungkook, and Jungkook can’t help but turn around. 

“What is a snake doing in here?” comes the booming voice of Jungkook’s brother. As if on instinct Jungkook moves a little, shielding Jimin behind him. Jungkook wishes his family was part of those who didn’t really care about who was in what house, but no, they’re incredibly stuck up. They’re prideful, too. They act kind at first, with all the families, then act like they always do behind their backs. 

Except with the Slytherins. The only reason Jungkook actually reserved any kind of hatred towards Jimin, is because his family did. For many years he and Jimin would get their fix by competing against each other. Jungkook’s family faked kindness with every other head family except with Jimin’s, so it was easy to live being Jimin’s enemy. 

“He’s with me, Junghyun,” Jungkook says. He doesn’t need a stupid brawl with his brother now. He blindly grabs Jimin’s hand, and doesn’t even try to keep a conversation with his brother. He starts walking, passing right by his brother.

“Trying to learn how to beat me tomorrow? What? You want to play dirty, little brother? Learning from a Slytherin?” Junghyun calls after him. Jungkook’s brother has always known Jungkook is better, he gets revenge by making his life impossible. He loves to get under Jungkook’s skin. 

And he achieves it every time. 

“Jungkook—” Jimin tugs at Jungkook’s arm but he turns anyway, eyes set on his brother.

“That’s funny coming from the coward who couldn’t even let my 20th birthday marinate before doing the ceremony.” Jungkook has always been too short of patience. He doesn’t take lightly to anything that offends him. It’s a bad habit, one that has gotten him into too many problems. One that has kindled the flame his brother always starts. “You know I could beat you, and you had to cry to mom so she would back you up; had to corner me so you could win, huh? Tell me, Junghyun, will the head title really be yours if you win tomorrow?” 

“Tread lightly little brother.” 

“Or will you be known as the coward Ravenclaw who couldn’t even let his brother come of age because he was too afraid of losing to him?” Jungkook laughs, mockingly, a sound that makes him sound insane. He’s hurt. He’s hurt and enraged because this is his family. This is his brother, and before Junghyun was thirsty for power, he supported Jungkook’s dream of becoming the head. 

Before being blinded by power, he was a good brother. 

“Having a snake on your side has made you a little brave brother. I ought to teach you a lesson.” 

Despite loving to defy his parents, Jungkook had a certain respect for some rules—boundaries he never dared to break—because the fallout would be too much. He wholeheartedly believed that once someone started to do something, they’d open the door to receiving the same. It’s always a two way street, especially with bad things. So, he respected them. 

Jungkook never hurt anybody and he was a kind person. He was afraid of using prohibited spells even in school practice, he’d heard too many stories of the damage they could do. He didn’t want that, not for himself or anyone else. The most foul thing Jungkook has ever done is giving Jimin that love potion, and even that is eating him up inside. Point is, there are things Jungkook stayed away from, in hopes that those things would steer clear of his life.

He feels the spell before he hears it called—his body turns in on itself, and his knees buckle before he can do anything else. 

There’s Jimin’s voice, far away, but close enough for Jungkook to hear his name be screamed. It’s still muddled, though, the pain his body is experiencing is too much for any of his senses to properly work. He only knows that he falls completely. He can feel the hard floor covered with fallen leaves and flowers, can feel the way they crunch when he closes his fist. The pain is too much, all at once, everywhere. 

He can’t hear himself, but he knows he’s screaming. His throat feels dry and he isn’t sure if it is because of his screaming or because of the spell. It’s like nothing he has felt before; no amount of stories, no amount of studying could have ever prepared him for this. It’s like getting submerged in water, again and again, but the water feels as though it is riddled with thorns, so sharp that they sting like knives. 

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” 

There are hands on his body. He can feel how they softly touch him, how they help him lay on his back. Then there’s a soft hand pressing on his chest, right over his heart. “Breathe, Jungkook, easy , breathe.” 

The assault is gone, but Jungkook still feels phantoms of pain all over his body. His eyes are still closed and his breath is short. All he can hear is the far away words being said to him, and all he knows is that they’re Jimin’s. 

“How dare you use such a curse?!” Jimin’s tone is loud, the warm hand on top of Jungkook’s chest goes away, and Jungkook flinches as Jimin stands. “On your own brother! How dare you!?” When Jungkook finally opens his eyes, Jimin is in front of him, challenging his brother. 

His brother laughs, loud and proud of what he just did. “What? A Slytherin lecturing me? You asked me to stop, and I did, but why should I listen to what a snake says?” Jungkook sees it clearly now, the moment his brother lifts his wands and moves his lips to utter the spell. He braces for the pain, he closes his eyes and feels his nails scratch the tile on the floor, trying to find something to hold on to, but the pain never comes. The curse never hits him. 

When he opens his eyes again there’s a yellow streak coming from Jimin’s wand, meeting head on with the dark red and white that spurts out of his brother’s wand. Jungkook holds his middle, struggles with a shaky hand and legs to at least kneel so he can see better what’s happening. “Junghyun,” he rasps, throat dry. “Stop this. What are you doing?!” He watches how Jimin’s hand shakes, and it dawns on him then. Jimin is one of the most powerful wizards he has ever known. 

But he’s fighting against Jungkook’s brother. He’s fighting just after seeing Jungkook go through a crucio curse. 

“Oh, I’ll stop, brother.” There’s a slight smile that takes up Junghyun’s face. He points his wand upwards, the streak of magic that connected him with Jimin goes up, and explodes above them. Jimin stumbles back for a second, and Jungkook, on instinct, moves his eyes from his brother to Jimin who recovers fast enough to not fall. When Jungkook turns back, his brother is already pointing at him with his wand, “ Crucio!”  

And then the pain starts. Before closing his eyes Jungkook sees his brother's smile, how it reaches his eyes, and he can’t help but let out the first tears he’s ever let fall. 

Because Junghyun had never smiled that way at him, and it hurts worse than any curse to know that it’s only now that he looks that way. Only now, when he’s hurting Jungkook, does he finally smile the right way. The pain overwhelms him once again, and his hands turn into fists and he can feel as if there were wires tightening all over his skin. 

“No!” Jimin. Jungkook wishes he would just leave. He wishes Jimin would run. With the little sanity the pain lets his mind have, he wishes Jimin would stop seeing him this way. Jimin doesn’t deserve this, he doesn’t deserve to imagine his worst memories just because Junghyung is as much a monster as those who killed his own brother. He wills his body to forget the pain. He doesn’t even know what he’s doing, but he knows he opens his eyes, he knows he slowly raises a hand, he’s just trying to tell Jimin to go, to just leave. 

Please leave.  

But Jimin only takes his hand, and Jungkook can’t help but frantically try to power through the pain and crawl away when he catches on to what Jimin wants to do. But it’s too late. One second he’s breathless, struggling with only his thoughts and the overwhelming sense of pain, and the next his world is turning, the pain is gone and all he feels is the disgusting sensation of wanting to hurl his breakfast. He can’t concentrate on anything, only on Jimin, and he holds his hand tighter as their world turns inside out. At some point he feels everything slip, and then all he feels is fear. 

No one can apparate out of the Jeon household, unless you’re with a Jeon. Jungkook hasn’t reached the age to legally apparate, so even if he knows how to, he isn’t allowed. He lands harshly on a leaf covered floor. He looks around and finds only lines and lines of trees and a narrow path that goes a long, long way. He looks around for more, but there’s nothing; just his shuddering breaths and the rustle of the trees. 

“Jimin!” Jungkook stands up. He can still feel the remnants of the crucio curse; can feel the weakness in his body, the tremble of his legs, but it’s a pale comparison to the utter fear he feels for Jimin at the moment. 

His mother had this idea to put a ward, something like a protection spell, around their estate. It made it so that no one could apparate out of the home if they weren't an authorized Jeon or accompanied by one. He’s not sure how Jimin did it, his head races at an alarming pace, he’s not sure if it was Jimin’s power or the determination to end Jungkook’s suffering. But whatever it was, Jungkook just knows it didn’t end well. You can’t just cheat magic like that. 

“Hyung! Jimin-Hyung!” he cries out. Jungkook keeps looking around and around, but Jimin’s nowhere through the trees, the slight rays of sunshine that make it through them don’t help much either.

There’s a little light that shines between two trunks, further into the trees and away from the little path. Jungkook doesn’t think twice before he’s running. He ignores the pang of hurt that rushes through his body, the way his limbs scream, and follows the small light. When he’s only a few inches away from it, his heart drops to his stomach, and he can feel all his strength give out. His body fails him as he falls, with a shuddering breath, by Jimin’s side. The blonde is sweaty, hair stuck to his forehead, droplets of sweat falling, and Jungkook’s heart completely gives out when he sees the few drops of tears falling from Jimin’s eyes. 

“I—” he chokes down a sob as he takes in Jimin. 

Jungkook was the best in almost all of his classes. When you’re a wizard, you have no choice but to learn a bit of everything, because with magic you never really know what to expect. Magic is a force within, something that’s alive on its own, that you learn to form and control. So, most of the things you learn are lessons on how to correct mistakes, how to heal magic wounds, and how to reverse hurtful enchantments. Jungkook, being quite ambitious with his magic, quickly learned that the greatest way to balance his ambition was to respect magic, too. Therefore, he learned all that he could, every last bit that could go wrong, because he knew he had to be ready. 

Yet faced with the situation right now, everything feels out of his hands. He feels out of his own body. He raises his hands, he wants to help Jimin, but every cell in his body trembles in fear. Jimin is hurt and Jungkook feels like he is hurting with him too. 

“I—I don’t remember,” he whispers. “What do I do? I—I don’t—” His words fail him, and he keeps hovering his hands over Jimin, but he doesn’t know what to do. He can’t remember. All he sees is Jimin’s crystal tears, Jimin’s hurt, Jimin’s scrunched face in pain. “Hyung— how— how do I help you?” He can almost feel his own tears threatening to come out. He brings his hands back and holds them together over his own chest, he hits his chest slightly, trying to remember, and closes his eyes. He keeps trying to remember. 

But his mind is blank. 

He opens his eyes and screws them shut again, but all he can see is Jimin’s blood, Jimin’s scratched chest, the open wound going all from his chest to his arm, bleeding red through his white shirt. 

He couldn’t apparate out of Jungkook’s home successfully. Jungkook knew, and he feels that Jimin knew, too, if the way his eyes scan over Jungkook’s face is any indication. But he did it anyway, to save Jungkook. Now he’s splinched, hurt, and Jungkook is too much of a dumbass to know what to do. 

“Jung—” Jimin moves, trying to reach his good hand out to touch Jungkook, but it falls with a small thud just by Jungkook’s thigh. Jungkook shakes his head and takes Jimin’s hand in his own. 

“Don’t talk, you’ll— you’ll hurt yourself more just, I’ll help you, okay? I’ll do it, I promise.” Jimin closes his eyes as he squeezes Jungkook’s hand, and there’s a silent hiss that comes out of Jimin. Jungkook can’t look at the wound, can’t look at Jimin’s pained face so he looks down at their hands. At the way his hand engulfs Jimin’s completely. His eyes trail a little, and when he sees his pocket it’s as if the dark water where he was drowning drains completely. He lets go of Jimin, almost in a trance, standing up and rummaging through his own pockets like a madman. Jimin panics a little, his eyes opening wide and he only calms when he sees that Jungkook doesn’t move further away. Jungkook looks back for a fleeting moment, and then goes back to his pocket. 

Namjoon always bothered him with being prepared, saying again and again that Jungkook had to expect the worst and the best, and to prepare accordingly for both. Jungkook took it upon himself to enchant his pants, making his pockets magically enlarged, keeping all kinds of things there. He struggles to find exactly the one he needs, so he starts taking things out. First it’s normal things, a pencil, paint, then it’s a canvas, then a muggle med kit, a blanket. He hears something fall, then he takes a shirt out, he keeps throwing things on the floor until he hears the crystal clink inside his pocket. 

There’s the amortentia potion, he can pick it apart by the heart shaped bottle, so he throws that to the side, and digs further in his pocket. Then he takes out the one he exactly needs. 

Essence of dittany, a healing potion that could be used on open wounds and for skin regeneration. It was the one thing people always used for splinching cases. 

Jungkook holds the bottle with absolute glee, then promptly kneels by Jimin’s side again. His heart races and his hand trembles, a constant state he’s been in ever since the crucio curse and his current predicament. He tries to calm himself down, and does his best to open the potion. “I’m so dumb, I— I should’ve told you we couldn’t apparate out. I’m so so so sorry, and I’m—“ he sighs, trying to not agitate himself as he approaches Jimin’s wound. Jimin moves away as best as he can with his busted shoulder and open skin. 

Jungkook frowns, “Stop, I’m— I’m sorry I didn’t remember how to help, but this— This is a healing potion. Please, Hyung.” His voice breaks at the words. “Hyung, please trust me , you need to be okay, you’ll get worse if we don’t do something.” 

Jimin only shakes his head, trying to move away, “N—no, Jungkook, you—you don’t understand, I can’t,” he says, voice strained and pained. Jungkook can’t help but cry now, tears falling as he sees Jimin struggle.

“Stop! You may think it’s charming, but look!” Jimin’s shirt is no longer white, it’s bloodied, drowned in red, “You need this. Stop being so stubborn, let me help!” Jungkook doesn’t wait for Jimin’s answer, he rips the shirt more open right by where it was already a little ripped, and he dumps the whole potion on the wound.

Jimin hisses, a fresh round of tears falling from his eyes, and Jungkook huffs, uncaring of whatever argument the Slytherin may raise. All he needs is for Jimin to be okay, for the blood to stop, for Jimin to be fine. He needs him okay because Jimin doesn’t deserve this, much less for saving Jungkook.

So, he waits, and waits, and waits. But nothing happens, he cries out in frustration, and Jimin’s hand creeps up from his thigh until it finds Jungkook’s fingers, and he intertwines their hands. “I’m not half as stubborn as you are, Jeon.” Jimin’s hold becomes loose, and Jungkook can’t help but tighten his hand to keep Jimin’s close. Jimin looks up, the sun is out but it’s perfectly hidden by the leaves and branches, “I’m sorry,” he says, sighing and coughing a little, “I guess my little lie became too big a price to pay.” 

Jungkook looks at him, “Hyung, why—why isn’t it working?” The potion never takes so long, he knows. They’ve used it in practice, they’ve studied it to perfection. “What do I do? What should I do?”

“It’s a little hard to make a potion work on someone immune to them.” Even with a hurt and bloodied body, Jimin smiles that signature smile of his, the one that Jungkook wishes he could be at the end of in any other scenario but this. “Family curses suck, huh?” Jimin coughs after the words, crying out in pain right after. 

“What are you—” Jungkook shakes his head, confused. Nothing that Jimin is saying makes sense. “What are you talking about, Hyung? Are you already delirious? Just— fuck —shut up!” Jungkook ignores him, he tries hard to think of what to do, but all his options are bad; all his options are out of his league. 

“You really do make me question if you’re a Ravenclaw, Jeon .” Only now does Jungkook really register the change in Jimin’s tone, the telltale of the Jimin’s he’s always known. The way he’s calling him Jeon and not Jungkook, with that sweet voice he’s been receiving on the last days. “I keep thinking, and you test me everytime.” 

“What are you saying?” Jungkook feels like a bucket of cold water has been thrown over him. Like he was taken on a ride with Buckbeak and then thrown off when they met the highest point. 

Jimin sighs, but there’s a lazy smile as he does, “I really thought Ravenclaw’s were acclaimed for their wisdom and wit.” His eyes bore into Jungkook’s, and even behind their hurt exterior Jungkook sees it, he sees Jimin, “Yet you rival those traits whenever you’re around me, Jungkook .” The name is said to be soft, another drastic change of Jimin. And Jungkook’s mind runs, it becomes a welding fire, threatening to burn him inside out. 

“Wait—” there’s a slight tremble in Jungkook’s voice. His hands start shaking again, too, because if potions don’t work on him, that—that means… Family curses. Immunity to potions. Jimin knew. Jimin always knew. The potion never worked. Jimin was never under the amortentia’s influence. He always knew.

“You were playing with me? All this time?” There’s a small cough from Jimin, and then the frightening sight of more blood coming out of his mouth. Jungkook feels dizzy. He doesn’t know what to do, there’s too much happening, there’s too much he’s learning. It scares him, but he makes sure to look at Jimin anyways, to not take his eyes away. 

Jimin smiles—to be in pain and smile anyways—such a Jimin thing to do, such a Slytherin thing to do. It drives Jungkook insane. It’s his taunting smile, the one that brings a million memories to Jungkook's mind, all the years they spent hating each other, all the pranks and all the games. “I was, love.” Jimin tilts his head, bringing that word out again, reminding Jungkook of newer memories, fresh memories bathed in warmth and whatever they felt in this whole lie. Jimin winces. “I played you really well, didn’t I?” 

There’s blood everywhere, and the potion really does nothing to stop it. Potions really don’t work on Jimin. 

Jimin always knew, and he played along. Jungkook felt so much, it—it was all too much. But it was all a lie, not the lie he thought he had crafted, but Jimin’s. It was all a lie, an act that Jimin played perfectly. Jungkook thought he had won, but there was never a game to begin with. He thought—even if it made him feel horrible—that he had Jimin overpowered for once, but there was never even a chance to do so, even from the beginning. He never stood  a chance. 

“Jimin—” He doesn’t know what to say. 

“After all,” Jimin says, eyes closing, hand falling from Jungkook’s hold, “I’m a Slytherin, Jungkook.” And he played his cunning part. 

Chapter Text

He lands knees first on the hard floor, just in front of St. Mungo’s. Jimin is in his arms, bathed in blood and passed out, and Jungkook’s hands shake and his body screams as he hauls him up the stairs to get Jimin the help he needs. Right at the hospital’s doors, there’s Namjoon waiting for him, and he’s too scared to even question how his cousin knew. 

“Jungkook!” 

Jungkook shakes his head, dropping to the floor with Jimin in his arms, right in front of the doors. “Help me, Hyung. He’s—he’s hurt. I don't know what to do.” Namjoon stares at him, and there’s something in his face as he looks at Jungkook, but he doesn’t say anything. He kneels, taking Jimin in his arms, and enters the hospital. There’s a number of nurses that meet him the moment he steps inside and Jungkook, more tired and drained than he has ever felt, quietly follows. He sees how they put Jimin on the stretcher that floats in; how the nurses walk by its side until they reach a room, and Jungkook can only follow them blindly, his heart in pieces, his mind jumbled. There are too many things he’s learned, too many things to think about, but right now he only wants to know that Jimin will be okay. 

“Not so fast, Jungkook.” Namjoon stands right in front of him, and Jungkook only notices when he bumps head on with his cousin. “Do you have any idea the trouble you’re in? Is your brain not working? Are you not the slightest bit worried about what you just did? Are you not curious as to why I’m here?” The words flow, and Jungkook hears them, yet he’s unable to make any sense of them. “Jungkook!” 

“He was—he was bleeding and I—I just wanted to get him help, Hyung. Hyung, I tried. But he—Jimin—he, they didn't work, it didn't work.” 

“You are not allowed to apparate! I don’t care what happened! You’re so lucky I was at the Ministry when the alarm came and that I took your case right on! You can’t apparate just because you know how to! You could be expelled, Jungkook!” It’s a shock to see his cousin—who’s usually level headed around Jungkook—this enraged. Yet, Jungkook can’t really think about it too much. He doesn’t care. Jimin is hurt; Jimin could’ve died if Jungkook hadn’t done anything. So what if he’s expelled? 

He spent his whole life seeing Jimin as the enemy. He spent years seeing him as a villain, thinking Jimin was capable of unthinkable things. Jungkook was blinded, and now, to think the real evil, the real people capable of things he couldn’t even imagine… are the ones in his own family. 

He tries but doesn’t really know where to begin, “Junghyun—” His voice breaks and for the first time since he arrived at the hospital he really looks at Namjoon, finally really acknowledges anything other than what he just went through. His voice breaks, and Namjoon’s shoulders sag, his angered eyes quickly turn into a worried look towards Jungkook. “He—he cursed me,” Jungkook can’t help but clutch his chest, images of his brother’s smile while Jungkook writhed in pain flash through his mind, images of his brother hurting Jimin. “He used a crucio curse, Hyung. Hyung—” Jungkook’s eyes water, he feels so little, so little and betrayed. He takes a step forward, and Namjoon wastes no time and opens his arms.

“Jungkook, you’re scaring me, what do you mean? A crucio curse? How is that possible?” 

“We were home. Jimin was there and Junghyun he—he just came at us, I—why?” Jungkook untangles himself from Namjoon just to look him right in the eyes. “Has he really hated me this much, all this time? He laughed, Hyung. He cast that crucio spell; he hurt me, he hurt Jimin, and he laughed through it all.” 

Namjoon puts both hands on Jungkook’s shoulders. “Is this why you had to apparate?” 

Jungkook looks at him with a blank expression “Jungkook, I understand how hard this must be. No one in their right mind would be walking normally after being attacked with a crucio curse, let alone by their own brother. I want to hug you. I want to protect you and take you away, but for me to do that I need to know every single thing that happened. There will be charges against you—you went against the law. I’m listening, and my heart is breaking, but for me to protect you, I need to stay focused.”

Jungkook understands, he does, now that he’s more calm. Now that Jimin is being treated, his mind is much clearer and he can understand Namjoon’s reasoning. It doesn’t help, though. He’d like to go to Jimin’s room, to stay with the Slytherin until he wakes up; to maybe hide in his room at Hogwarts and wait for Taehyung or Seokjin to cuddle him up. He wants anything but to relive what happened. 

“He attacked me first. Then he attacked Jimin for getting in the way.” The words are mechanical, they almost sound rehearsed, he’s saying them but he’s fighting a battle inside of himself, trying to keep the images away. “Then he attacked me again, all—all I could feel was pain, every bit of my skin felt pain. I—Jimin, he—he didn’t take it well. I think, seeing the crucio curse, he—”

“God, his brother…” Namjoon whispers, and Jungkook knows his cousin must understand how horrible the situation had been for them both. 

“He didn’t take well, seeing me like that. Seeing Junghyun doing—doing that to me.” Torturing me. “So, he apparated us out of there.” 

“But you were in your land. In Jeon’s land.” 

“That’s why he ended like that.” Jimin did that to save Jungkook, to end his pain, and all it did was hurt him in the process. 

“But, you carry a potion for splinching, Jungkook. I made sure of that.” Namjoon frowns at him, and his tone almost sounds accusing. “Why did you not use that? Instead of recklessly breaking the law? Of risking a worse case of splinching, or getting splinched yourself!”

“It didn’t work!” He’s yelling now, and Namjoon steps back. “I did! He—he lied to me! All this time! It didn’t work! The potions, he’s—he’s cursed, or I don’t know!” Jungkook brushes his hair back with his hands, they feel sticky—it feels horrible—and when he brings them down, he notices his hands are tainted with blood, Jimin’s blood. The sight brings his world down again, and he can’t help the shaking that starts, the pain his heart feels. “Potions don’t work on him,” he says, more calmly. “I had to, Hyung. He would’ve died.” He doesn’t look at Namjoon, he only looks at his hands–bloodied and scratched. He notices his nails, the dirt and specks of blood under them, and he feels bile rise up his throat. 

He can’t tell his own blood apart from Jimin’s. He can’t tell how much of it came from the scratches that formed while he was writhing in pain and how much came from Jimin’s wound. Namjoon takes his hands softly, probably taking notice of Jungkook’s turmoil. Jungkook blinks his tears away. “Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” He pulls Jungkook along, and Jungkook goes, body and mind spent. 

He knew how ambitious his family was. He was well aware of his brother’s greediness. But he never thought something like this would be possible. He never thought this was the way his brother felt about him. Something so dark that he was unbothered while hurting Jungkook. It’s more bittersweet than anything he has ever imagined. It hurts more than he ever thought possible. The crucio curse had his body writhing in pain, it had him paralyzed, feeling like a million different things were inflicting him pain. But nothing, nothing compared to watching his brother smile while it happened.

The way his heart shattered in that moment, the pain he felt then, it was different. Jungkook fears he lost something there, something he’s not sure he’ll ever get back. 

“Wait here.” When Jungkook looks up, he’s at his fathers office in the hospital. For a moment he had forgotten his father was a doctor here. Inevitably, there’s a fear that takes place within him. Would he see that sinister smile on his father too? Does his father hate him too?

“Hyung, Hyung don’t leave me alone.” Namjoon turns on his way to the door, looking softly at Jungkook. 

“Uncle will know what to do.”

“No! Hyung, please.” 

“Why did I have to hear from a nurse that my son has come to visit!” A gleeful voice disrupts their conversation, and they both turn painfully slowly towards the door. 

“Uncle—”

“Jungkook! It’s been so long since my son visited me at work!” His father approaches him, unknown to the turmoil Jungkook is going through, unknown to the unstoppable, and partly irrational, fear that brews within him. When his father leans in for a hug, Jungkook can’t help but jump back, body slamming into a tall file cabinet. There’s a silence that settles in the office, and his father looks at him with a pained expression. “Son, what’s wrong?” 

“Uncle, let’s sit.” Namjoon intervenes. Jungkook’s father, though, perhaps too shocked by the events, starts scanning Jungkook from head to toe. Jungkook doesn’t meet his eyes, but he can feel the stare. His father always knew him best, but right now Jungkook doesn’t know what is real, what is not. 

Who to trust, and who not to trust. 

“Jungkook,” there’s anger in his father's tone, “what happened to you?” The phantom sensation of pain comes back, and he can’t help bathe in memories. He sees his brother grinning, and sees him enjoying Jungkook’s pain. It only just happened, yet Jungkook feels like it’s something he has been carrying for years—the pain. All he remembers is the pain. Jimin’s hurt—Jimin protecting him, then Jimin’s blood. His expression must’ve been alarming enough for his father to ignore him completely and fully turn to Namjoon. 

“Namjoon.” The name is said with authority. His father has never been one to impose himself on others. He never raises his voice if not needed, he never demands blindly. Jungkook stares at his father, how mad he looks. He tries to talk, tries to say something, anything, but the words don’t come out. 

His heart feels heavy, and he moves his gaze away. He had never noticed how much his father looked like Junghyun, no, how much Junghyun looked like his father. It feels bitter to notice now, and it doesn’t help with the groundless fear he feels right now. 

“Junghyun, he—” Namjoon starts retelling the story, or at least the bits and pieces of what Jungkook had been able to tell him in the haste of it all. He sees their lips moving, sees the moments where his father looks back at him, the constant frown on his face, the worry that radiates off of him. Jungkook wants to say more, a part of him wants to scream; he wants his father to leave this office, to go help Jimin. Jungkook feels bile rise in his throat, feels the phantoms of pain all over his body. He feels out of it, shaken beyond anything he has ever felt. 

Yet he knows he doesn’t need his fathers care. Not now. But Jimin does. 

His mind stops running laps, and the uncomfortable thrumming through his body stops. He can gather himself enough to ask this of his father. When the elder Jeon approaches, Jungkook digs his nails into his palms, holding back the urge to step back, to run away. “Jimin,” he breathes, making his father stop halfway to him. Jungkook screws his eyes shut, breathing in and out, in and out.

“Son—” But Jungkook only shakes his head. He can’t have a conversation now with his father; he can’t face the aftermath of whatever just happened, not right now. He needs to know Jimin is okay, that he will be okay. 

“Jimin. Help him. He—” He saved me, but the words won’t come out. “He needs your help, father.” Jungkook clears his throat, if even to the end Jimin braved it out, if even then there was nothing but courage, Jungkook can do it too. If Jimin, who has lost a lot throughout his life, who has braved pain better than anyone that Jungkook knows, if he, even through it all, can be brave and smile, then Jungkook can do it too. Despite the truths that have come to light, nothing matters but this. 

Even if right now he feels like hiding, like he is nothing but a failure. He feels like he should be the one in Jimin’s shoes, like he should be the one on a hospital bed. Even when he feels like chips of his soul have withered away, he’ll be brave through it, if only for Jimin. 

His father looks at him for a few moments more, eyes raking up and down Jungkook’s body. He knows he must look like a wreck—he feels it. He only braved one look at his hands but that was enough to see his bloodied fingernails and scratched arms. His father must be worried, but Jungkook can’t deal with it right now. He doesn’t want to worry or think about himself, not right now. 

“I’ll help him. Stay here. It’s okay, son.” His father nods, more to himself than anything. “It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” He repeats, casting one last look at Jungkook before walking out of his office. Head low. 

Jungkook stares at the opened door for what feels like eternity, he feels as if time is passing at a dangerously slow rate. Like it’s slipping by him. All the emotions he’s feeling have him shattered inside out, he can’t make out one from the other, can’t even figure out what he really is feeling. 

“Jungkook. I need to contact Jimin’s parents. Will you be okay?” Will he? Will he be okay, is he expected to be? What will happen after this? Will his brother be held accountable or is he supposed to live as if nothing happened? What about Jimin? What about him and Jimin ? Is there anything to salvage? Is Jungkook ready to accept that one feeling that’s screaming at him, trying to overpower the thousand others inside of him? 

Is love really able to bloom from the lie? 

There’s too many questions and too many things to think about. Jungkook can’t bear thinking of even looking at himself. He feels dirty, afraid and ashamed. Even the once unbreakable dream of becoming the next Ravenclaw head feels like nothing more than a shattered past. Because if he wasn’t brave enough to save Jimin, if he wasn’t quick enough to stop his brother, to defend himself, is he really worth it in the end? He had always been proud of himself, proud of the power within his veins, but even that feels wrong now. 

Because when it really mattered, he failed. 

Perhaps realizing that Jungkook won’t bother answering, Namjoon steps out of the office, leaving Jungkook to himself. It doesn’t help calm the onslaught of thoughts in Jungkook’s mind. Is one after the other, one after the other, again and again. He decides to take a seat, to try and calm his racing heart, but it proves to be far more difficult than he thought. What will his mother do when she finds out? Will she side with his brother, even then? Does she even care about what Junghyun did to Jungkook? Will she care about the pain he went through? 

His heart aches at the possibility of her being as frigid as Junghyun. Of her features turning to that gleeful smile that Junghyun wore while Jungkook writhed in pain. How does one move on from that? How does he move forward when his family is this way? What will happen now? His hands shake, only now remembering that he apparated to get out of there. His mind is jumbled, he is a Jeon, but he isn’t authorized to apparate, at all, not in his house and not by wizard law. He releases a shuddering breath at the implications of it. He can be expelled, he can lose his wand. 

Yet, even with the utter fear that knowledge brings him, it pales in comparison to remembering Jimin’s pained expression. It doesn’t compare to the fear of watching Jimin close his eyes, overwhelmed with pain. 

He must have been incredibly out of his mind, fear and thoughts cramming his every thought, because the next time he comes to, Namjoon is kneeling right in front of him, his hands pulling Jungkook’s apart. “Breathe, Kook, breathe. Yes, that’s right. You’re okay, it’s okay.” His cousin's words are warmth, a small lifeline that Jungkook holds onto with all his might. He concentrates on Namjoon’s calloused hands softly holding his own, and lets that ground him. “Jimin is okay. They used muggle medicine to put him to sleep, and are now working to mend his wounds with magic, no potions are being used. I contacted his parents and they’re on their way. Your dad talked to them too. We can leave now, Jungkook. Get you cleaned up and you can rest—”

Jungkook starts shaking his head before his cousin is finished, “I need to see Jimin. I need to stay here; I can’t leave.” What if Jimin wakes up? He’s not sure where they stand, what kind of line their lies blurred. He's not the only one that lied. Jimin was lying all along, and Jungkook has no idea what parts of their time together were real or not. He can’t risk being away and making it seem like he doesn’t care for Jimin or what he did for Jungkook. He knows maybe now might not be the time for them to talk about it all, but at least he knows they’re not the enemies they were. 

He knows nothing will be as it was and for this new start, he wants to begin in a good way. He’s not sure about anything, but he’s sure that he wants to be there. Right by Jimin’s side. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Jungkook is ready to interrupt, but Namjoon only shakes his head. “Jimin’s parents are kind-hearted, but I think that even then it would not be wise to have the brother of the person who put their only remaining son in a hospital bed there with them.” 

“Junghyun hurt me too. He—” there’s a lump in Jungkook’s throat and he feels his body go weak. Is this what he’ll deal with from now on? This paralyzing fear every time he remembers that moment? 

“I know, Jungkook, but you need to understand. They may not be ready to face you. It was a Jeon that hurt Jimin— your brother hurt Jimin. I don’t think the whole chain of events will matter to them right now. Let’s wait until Jimin wakes up.” Namjoon stands, one of his hands tightly holding one of Jungkook’s. 

“I don’t want to go…” Home. But is that his home? The place where his brother is too? Does his mother know already? Does she care?” 

“We’re not going to your house.” Namjoon winces a bit, body tensed. “We need to go to The Ministry of Magic.” Jungkook stands up, wobbly legs almost failing him. “I won’t let your brother get away with this, and we need a case so they don’t expel you from Hogwarts.” 

Jungkook can’t really bring himself to care. The fear of what comes next is there, yes, but more than fearing for whatever repercussions saving Jimin’s life bring him, he fears more for what will happen after Jimin wakes up. Can they be as they were? Now that the lies have fallen apart, will whatever they felt be real enough to have—something, anything? He lets Namjoon lead him out of the hospital, stays numb, right by Namjoon’s side as Namjoon grips his hand to apparate them to The Ministry. As the dark engulfs them Jungkook watches Jimin’s parents walking up the steps to St. Mungo’s entrance, he wishes they don’t hate him. 

Now, after all these silly days with Jimin, the things Jimin showed him and made him realize, the things they went through together, he can almost taste the word for the weird things he had felt with Jimin. So, he wishes that they don’t hate him, and most of all, he wishes that Jimin doesn’t hate him. And he hopes, with all his heart, that Jimin had felt those weird things too. 

.•*•.•*•.

The run throughout The Ministry had been nothing but bitter and unpleasant. Nothing like the possible future head of Ravenclaw being almost expelled. Almost, because then the conversation, or rather, discussion, had turned into how outrageous it was that the future head of Ravenclaw—Jungkook had fumed at the lack of doubt in the statement, at the confidence in his brother—had resorted to an unforgivable curse against a fellow future head. 

The political aspects of it all sat like bile in Jungkook’s stomach. Halfway through, he had opted to ignore them all, he didn’t care enough for any of it, not at this moment anyways. He didn’t want to fight or discuss anymore, so he let his cousin do the talking, and only tuned in again when they declared his actions justified, and demanded a look into his memory to support his claims. Jungkook had shuddered throughout the whole process, only avoiding a full on panic attack because Namjoon was the one extracting the memory. 

All he cared about was that he was free and that the investigation, like it should’ve from the start, will move towards his brother, who, conveniently, was nowhere to be found. 

“Your mother was questioned, and apparently she knows nothing about where Junghyun is.” They’re on their way to the entrance of the Jeon house. Jungkook had not said a word but Namjoon had apparated them just outside of the estate, not directly in, even though he is an authorized person to apparate in and out of their lands. Jungkook was grateful, and tears threatened to spill out at the thoughtfulness of his cousin. Even when Jungkook had not said a word, Namjoon just knew, and that kind of comfort helped Jungkook ground himself even more. 

They enter the house to find themselves right in front of Jeon Hae-joon. His mother jumped right up from the couch, eyes desperately scanning Jungkook. Is that worry in her eyes? “What did they tell you?” She’s wearing a dark navy blue dress, it has three buttons down the upper half and then a long skirt that stops at her shoes. This wasn’t what she was wearing when Jungkook was here earlier. “You’re not being expelled I suppose, you saved that boy's life.” There’s something almost arrogant in her tone, as if Jungkook did something trivial, nothing more than a favor, like what he did wasn’t something too important or vital. 

“I believe Jungkook needs rest,” Namjoon says, hand on Jungkook’s back, trying to push him along. But his mother sighs, fingers touching her temples. Jungkook knows this look well, she’s annoyed, but it’s more than that. There’s something in her posture, she’s tense, and when she looks back at Jungkook there is worry in her eyes. It should appease him, make him feel better, but it’s hard. He’s been at the end of her coldness for too long, her worry now sits, mildly uncomfortable, within him. He just can’t believe she is worried about him. “All we need is to clear Junghyun’s name now.” 

What?  Jungkook can’t help the way his lips part in a silent gasp, heart falling to the pit of his stomach at the words. He knew it, that doesn’t make it any better to be proven right though. “What was that boy doing here? This will be a huge conflict. I know that Park's mother won’t let this go quietly. Boys will fight, she must know that.” His mother has opted to walk from one end of the couch to the other. Worry practically drips off of her, but of course, it’s only Junghyun’s well being that matters to her, their reputations well being. 

“Mother,” Jungkook says, the word comes out choked. He…he can’t say he didn’t expect this. A part of him was readying itself, constructing walls and walls full of armor to protect him from this disappointment, from this hurt again. But it didn’t work, it did nothing.He looks at his mother and feels coldness all over his body. He feels alone. Alone and broken. 

“Do you know where Junghyun is, Aunt?” Namjoon asks, voice quiet and low. Jungkook can feel Namjoon’s arm tremble slightly, but his cousin doesn’t move it from where it lays on Jungkook’s back. 

His mother gives Namjoon a look, more like a glare, and her eyes sharpen with every word she says next. “He is my son. Of course I do. But I won’t let him ruin his life just because of a mere mistake. He’ll stay where he is until I am able to figure this out.” Mistake. A mere mistake. Is that what they think happened? Jungkook knows it wasn’t, he has the phantom of pain, the memory of Junghyun’s smile as proof that it wasn’t a mistake. His brother enjoyed what he did. 

“An unforgivable curse is not something that someone accidentally casts.” Namjoon’s words are clipped, anger laced in every letter. 

“That snake Park shouldn’t have been on our property anyways. He must have done something.” Jungkook looks at his mother, at the way she keeps pacing, the way she holds her hands together. Is this what she believes or is this what Junghyun told her? Does she really not care about what happened, what Jungkook went through? 

“What about me, mother?” Jungkook says, voice frail, he takes a step forward, detaching himself from Namjoon’s safe warmth and instantly missing it. “What did I do to deserve it?” The way his mother stops, the way her eyes become wide, her arms instantly falling to her sides confirms what Jungkook thought all along. Whatever his brother told her was not the truth. Or the whole story.  “Jimin is my friend.” Jimin was more, and it feels stupid, because they only had a few days together, but those few days were filled with things Jungkook had never felt, had never experienced. But he doesn’t need to explain details or say more, his mother doesn’t deserve to know that. She doesn’t deserve to know the feelings within him, after all, he’s not even sure she would care.  

He will protect the feelings and memories he has with Jimin. Jimin made him name things that he was too much of a coward to acknowledge. It tears his heart apart to know that he noticed too late. He liked Jimin; he was attracted to Jimin, and he only just accepted it now, when all that has happened might as well leave him without even Jimin’s friendship. 

“And that alone should have been enough for Junghyun to not hurt him.He didn’t hurt just Jimin.” Jungkook’s fists are clenched so hard by his sides that he feels them trembling. It's so painful to remember. The memory of Junghyun’s smile is like a thorn in his heart. The pain from the spell mixes with the anger that his mother spikes in him. “But he didn’t tell you that, did he? Too scared to lose mommy’s approval, which is stupid, because if he knew better he’d know you don’t care about me.” 

“Jungkook—” His mother tries to approach and he lets her, but he feels venom all over his body. He needs to spit out the words. 

“He used it on me. Again and again. Jimin begged him to stop. That snake begged him to stop, and he only laughed. Tell me, mother, do you care? Do you care to know about how he looked me in the eye and screamed crucio until I was writhing on the floor? Until there was no air in my lungs?” His mother is shaking her head, but Jungkook can’t see the expression on her face, his eyes too blurry with tears he had no idea had started to fall. “He smiled at me, while he did it, he smiled at me. He was enjoying my pain. Would you have enjoyed it, too?” 

He feels the stinging first, feels his head whip to the side, and only when he brings his hand up to his cheek does he register that his mother slapped him. Hurt. Hurt again. It all hurts. 

“Jungkook.” Namjoon says, worried, but Jungkook doesn’t turn back, he only looks at his mother, at her shaking hands and the tears in her eyes.  

“Shut up. How dare you? Don’t you— ravens!” She shouts, eyes brimming with a fresh round of tears as she looks at Jungkook. “I never, never would’ve let one of my children go through something like that. I will not explain my decisions and choices to you, Jeon Jungkook. But don’t you ever think for one second that I do not care for my sons.”

“That’s just it, mother. You may care. But, could you choose?”

“Why do I need to? You’re both my sons. My family,” she says it in nothing more than a whisper. Jungkook knows this may not be easy, that perhaps a part of her does care, perhaps a part of her is a healthy caring mother. And a mother does not choose between her children. 

But he doesn’t plan to let Junghyun go for what he did, he doesn’t plan on forgiving him. A foolish part of him thinks that if maybe it was only him, if only he had gotten hurt, only then—to save his family the pain and disgrace—would he forget about it. But for Jimin, Jimin who showed him loyalty and care better than his own family, for Jimin he will never forgive his brother. 

“I do not plan to forgive him. And I will serve as a witness in his trial. You could choose to do the right thing, to tell him to give himself away to the aurors, tell us where he is.” Jeon Hae-joon isn’t crying anymore, there’s a hard expression on her face as Jungkook keeps talking, “Or you could help him, hide him, choose him, like you’ve always done.” Jungkook steps back, and in that moment something leaves him. Maybe the hope he always had that his mother was better than what he thought; the hope that maybe for once, he’d be the choice she’d make. 

But she only keeps staring at him, no words, not a single reaction to anything he just said. So, he nods slowly and swallows down the pain, swallows the screams of rage he wishes to let out. He turns, avoiding looking Namjoon in the eyes just to keep himself together long enough for him to leave the house. 

“Did you do all this because of tomorrow?” The question stops him just at the door, and he feels the weight of it in the pit of his stomach. “This is convenient, isn’t it? To have all this happen just before the ceremony. Did you want the Ravenclaw title that much? You say Jimin is your friend, but tell me Jungkook, is he? Or did you use him today, to get what you wanted? Like a true Jeon.” When he turns around to face his mother there’s a sickening smirk on her face. Namjoon’s body between them is what stops him from doing things he knows he’ll regret. 

He can’t help the tears that well in his eyes, the way his body shakes. Because he did, even if they were both living in a lie, he did use Jimin. Not in the way his mother thinks—never that—but he did use him, and consequently ended up hurting Jimin. The reminder tears the last shreds of stability he had on his emotions.

“I don’t need to play dirty—” his voice is broken, the words nothing more than a raspy cry, “I never–” he shakes his head, “I don’t need to cheat my way to get the title. I will never stoop that low.” Being a Ravenclaw is much more than having wisdom, being part of any house comes with having honor as you carry its name. It holds even more meaning when you’re the family that bears its title. And his mother and brother were jeopardizing every bit of that meaning. “Whatever happened today, whatever happens to your son, it’s on you mother, on you and your ambitions”. He storms out, not even caring for more words or to see her face. 

He feels Namjoon come up beside him, and it may be the events of the day, or the words he just said, but he wants nothing more but to rest, or perhaps to see Jimin. He voices as much. Namjoon only sighs, gently intertwining his hand with Jungkook’s. “I can’t take you to Jimin, not yet. You need rest, and there’s still much to do. Stay with me for now.” Jungkook nods, numb to whatever happens next. He succumbs to the whirl of nothingness that feels nauseating when you apparate, and holds onto Namjoon’s hand like a lifeline. 

.•*•.•*•.

“They haven’t found him. And your father sent word yesterday that your mother hasn’t gone back to the house ever since the day you two talked.” It’s been a full week since that day, sometimes Jungkook still has nightmares of Jimin screaming his name, of the pain thrumming through his body, of his hands full of Jimin’s blood. He won’t go back to his house, and has invited Taehyung and Seokjin to mandatory sleepovers for two nights straight after not being able to get a wink of sleep the first few nights alone. 

“How do you know all that?” He keeps his eyes on the window, watching students walk around Hogwarts freely, maybe going to class or to the quidditch game that starts today with the new season.

“Namjoon-Hyung told me.” Taehyung says, and Jungkook tears his gaze away from the window to subjectively raise his eyebrows at his best friend, Taehyung only shrugs, “You told me to start with something that I wanted and liked and to try it, so I did.”  He shrugs, and Jungkook has to remember to close his mouth as he gapes at Taehyung. 

“You told him?” 

“Now you won’t have anything to use against me.” Taehyung thinks that but Jungkook can already imagine a hundred things to use against him if he and his cousin become a couple. 

“What did he say? What, wait, why didn’t you tell me?” He frowns, then glares at Taehyung. 

“It happened just a few days ago and with all that happened...” Jungkook tries not to wince. “Just whatever, I told you now; that’s what matters. And I won’t say anything else yet—give me time Jeon.” 

“Are you nervous? My cousin isn’t that cool.” He knows it’s a lie, Namjoon may be clumsy but he is the coolest person Jungkook knows, maybe after Jimin. 

“I won’t say anything else.” Taehyung huffs, and struts towards Jungkook, he’s looking at him with a funny expression and Jungkook can’t help but curl a little into himself, afraid of whatever is running in Taehyung’s mind. “You know, I heard a rumor that a certain blonde was coming back today.” Taehyung nudges his shoulder with Jungkook’s, and Jungkook does his best to ignore it. 

Ever since Sunday—which started out as his best birthday thanks to Jimin, then ended up being the worst thanks to his brother and mother—Jimin has been at St. Mungo’s, and Jungkook has not been able to see him. Namjoon made many promises, saying Jungkook would be able to see him as soon as all law processings ended, but no promises mattered when Jimin’s family didn’t want anyone around him. Jungkook understood, he really did, but it made no sense to his aching heart, not when he had so much to ask and say to Jimin. Not even his father being one of Jimin’s doctors helped his case, Jimin’s parents only let his father around the Slytherin because he was the best. 

They were wary of the Jeon’s, and with good reason, Jungkook knows. But it didn’t help his anxiousness, it didn't help the need he had to see Jimin, to check with his own eyes that the blonde was okay. Jungkook feels a little more light at hearing the news that Jimin is back, but would Jimin want to see him? Seokjin had to peel a furious Yoongi away from Jungkook the first time he showed his face at The Great Hall, and since then he’s kept to his room, safe within his walls. 

A part of him thought Jimin might react the same, and might want to hurt Jungkook too. But he knows better, he knows Jimin, because even if the days they spent together were based on a lie Jungkook knows part of themselves came to light, an honest and real part that they decided to share with each other. He knows Jimin would never hurt him, but a part of him shakes with fear. Because what if Jimin decided to accept Jungkook’s offer just to make fun of him, to use him for something too? That thought is worse than any nightmare he’s had. Because no matter how much he thinks about it, he has no answer for the most important questions of it all. 

Why did Jimin lie? Why did he pretend all this time? What did he gain from faking that the potion had worked? 

Jungkook hasn’t found an answer to it, and all the possibilities he’s come up with leave him feeling nauseous. Jimin is a Slytherin, he is cunning and smart, and Jungkook knows Jimin had moments where he was genuinely honest, but if he faked being under the influence of the amortentia, what else could he have faked? It eats at Jungkook, and it scares him enough to not want to face Jimin. Because as foolish as it is, he’s come to terms with one particular feeling, one that leaves him feeling too exposed against Jimin. 

But it’s confusing too. If Jimin lied, what parts of it were truly real? Of their little charmed lie, what could really be love? 

“That’s all you have to say?” Taehyung says, sounding unnecessarily offended. “Are you even planning to come to the Great Hall today?” Jungkook only answers with a shake of his head. Taehyung and Seokjin don’t know every detail of what happened. They know something happened, they know his brother hurt them, that Jimin got ‘caught in the crossfire’ of whatever rivalry the brothers have and Jungkook feels bad for it, but he can’t bring himself to tell the story, not after a dozen Auror’s made him repeat himself again and again.  He likes the safety of his room, for the quiet, for many reasons. He’ll stay here, away from the Great Hall, and the questioning gazes of the people, away from Min Yoongi who wants to beat him, and away from a certain blonde that makes him feel. 

“I won’t bring you food. You can starve here,” Taehyung says with a huff before turning and slamming the door as he walks out. Jungkook can’t help but chuckle. Because if Taehyung doesn’t bring him food, someone will, or he’ll bribe a first year to bring him some. It’s an empty threat, and Taehyung knows it too. 

He moves from the window to his bed, and like all these last days, he takes advantage of the light the day brings and takes a nap. This is what he’s become, for some reason, sleeping in the day is a tad better than sleeping at night. 

He’s not sure how long he naps, and it takes him a second to shake off the sleep from his body and the too real and good to be true dreams out of his mind. When he finally comes to, Jin is coming through the door with a tray of food in hand. 

“You brat,” he says as a way of greeting. “I understand missing lunch, but, dinner too?” He grumbles as he walks around the bed to put the tray of food on Jungkook’s nightstand, and Jungkook looks out the window to find that night really has fallen. Did he truly sleep that much? He must not be getting as much sleep as he thought, even with his friends staying with him. 

“Thank you, Hyung.” He goes to his bathroom to rinse his mouth and when he comes back Jin is already chilling at the armchair by the window. “You’re not leaving?” Jungkook asks, taking the food and sitting by the windowsill. 

“You only expect me to come at night then? Like a dirty secret? Oh what will the halls say when they hear Kim Seokjin stays only the night in the room of the Jeon's youngest.” Seokjin sighs dramatically, he even goes as far as putting the back of his hand to his forehead. Jungkook rolls his eyes, they both know no one would even start such a rumor. They’re often staying at each other’s rooms, Jungkook figures it’s something the three will do for as long as they can. 

“You’re always so busy studying, even when you come at night you’re always the last one in. So, pardon me if it’s a wonder you came and stayed.” Seokjin usually comes to leave food for him, he says a few words and it’s back on his way the next second. The Gryffindor spends an insufferable amount of time studying, Jungkook doesn’t know how he does it. 

“Well, my study partner was quite vocal today. Grumbling and cursing a certain doe-eyed Ravenclaw, I needed a break.” Jungkook stops halfway through his bite to look at Seokjin. But the older has his eyes closed, and a slight smirk adorns his face, he knows exactly what he’s doing—Jungkook does too. 

“You were studying with Jimin?” He hates himself for giving in so easily, yet he can’t help it. It doesn’t help that he dreamt about Jimin again, and that he's worried sick about the blonde. The Slytherin supposedly arrived just today, shouldn’t he rest more? Why would he be studying? Most important of all, why was he cursing Jungkook? What things did he say? “What did he say? Should I hire a bodyguard? Maybe I should walk with an elf that is ready to give his life for me. Surely Jimin has an intent to harm me, or maybe not—maybe he’s opted for never seeing me again. Now that would be a favor for the both of us. I don’t think I can face him. So, what did he say? What does he plan?” Even if Jungkook is not sure that whatever the Slytherin said to Seokjin should be trusted, he wants to know. 

He looks back at Seokjin to find the Gryffindor gaping at him, eyes wide. “Wow,” he says, staring at Jungkook as if he’s grown three heads, as if he was one of the great creatures they often hear about in class, “you have issues. Taehyung really wasn’t joking.” And as if said man was summoned, Jungkook’s door opens and Taehyung walks right in. 

“See, Hyung?” Taehyung walks towards Jungkook’s bed, plopping himself in it and not even sparing Jungkook a quick glance. “I told you. He’s in denial.”

“Wait,” Jungkook says, “Is this an intervention?” He turns to Seokjin then, tone becoming a little bit clipped, “Were you lying then? Did you not study with Jimin? Did you even study at all?” Seokjin holds up a hand, and Jungkook feels the food he just ate start to become more like a poison he ingested, so he moves the leftovers away from himself and stands up to look at his friends. 

“I did study and someone was definitely talking about you, but it was not Jimin. Jung Hoseok was studying with me, and he was going on and on about how disappointing you are, how ridiculous they were to let Jimin get close to you and how—this one’s my favorite—how Jimin refused to tell them anything until he talked to you. Then he went on saying how absurd that is because Jimin was in the hospital and it was your ‘little blue asshole’s fault!’—Hoseok's words, not mine,” Seokjin says, putting his hands up. “Anyways, I found it interesting and now even more since you believe Jimin actually wants nothing to do with you, when I’ve obviously heard otherwise.” 

“You guys don’t understand.” Jungkook thinks maybe it’s time to tell them, that perhaps the truth of it all would help them understand why he’s so hesitant. He tries to think of a way to say the words, a way that doesn’t threaten to eat him alive as he retells the story, but it’s hard. Even the smallest thought about that day turns his insides to ice. “I lied to him. I tricked him and he was hurt because of it.” 

“Is this about the amortentia?” Taehyung asks, frowning, he shakes his head as he sits, staring Jungkook down. “I helped you work that out. Believe me I’ve tried to forget that night and I’ve felt guilty, too. Of course I don’t think it compares to what you might feel but—“ he shakes his head again, “What I’m saying is that you shouldn’t beat yourself too hard because of that. I'm not sure what happened but you’re here and Jimin’s back, and healed, and from what we’ve heard he doesn’t want to kill you on sight. That must count for something.” 

“I knew something was weird about you and Jimin. Amortentia, Jungkook? You could’ve been expelled!” Jungkook had forgotten for a second that Seokjin actually didn’t even know about the amortentia bit. His Hyung is staring at him like he committed the greatest offense known to wizards and in Seokjin’s terms, it might’ve as well be. Seokjin inches closer. “If you ever hide something like this from me I’m burning the blue silk sheets.” 

Jungkook gasps, “Hyung!” He is genuinely alarmed for a second, then he settles. Hands instinctively straightening his sheets. “I was breaking the law, I couldn't go around telling everyone!” 

“You told Taehyung! He helped you! 

“Taehyung,” Jungkook starts, he looks so pointedly at Taehyung he’s sure he could burn him if he had that kind of power, “was sniffing—iterally —where he shouldn’t and found out! Then he insisted on helping!” Jungkook huffs, eyes almost rolling back.

“It was exhilarating, I don’t think I’d do it again though.” 

“Yeah well, it’s not like it matters. I almost got expelled but it had nothing to do with the potion. The potion didn’t even work to start with.” Jungkook still remembers the moment he found out. Jimin’s words as the truth unraveled between them. Even now it is all too confusing to make any sense. Jungkook lied, but Jimin had known he was lying, so technically Jimin lied too. Jungkook knew very well what his intentions were, but he had no idea about Jimin’s. Why would Jimin pretend? Now that he really thinks about it, Jimin is a nerd. He stayed for advanced magic studies, and knows just about anything. The blonde must’ve known about the potion the moment Jungkook handed him the glass. 

Jungkook was too lost in his mind to even register Taehyung was talking. He snaps back to himself to find Taehyung with a small crease between his eyebrows, “What do you mean? I’m no genius but I’m sure amortentia is like, the mother of all love potions. There’s no chance it wouldn't work.” 

“Well—”

“He did it wrong then. Or he must be confused. I mean, I saw Jimin, he looked pretty in love.” Jin says, his face scrunching in thought. 

“Well you see—” Jungkook is interrupted, again. 

“He didn’t. Look, I thought Namjoon Hyung was in the room but he wasn’t. It was just me smelling the potion. It worked .” 

“Namjoon?”  Seokjin gasps, and Taehyung gasps too, bringing a hand to his mouth. Jungkook watches them, a small headache forming. Seokjin hadn’t known about Taehyung's mega crush on his cousin. Well, guess that’s out there now. Jungkook feels bad, then he remembers they are here because they planned an intervention and it turns into indignation very quickly. 

He decides to add to the fire. “They’re dating.” They aren’t. At least, Taehyung didn’t tell him that they’re dating but they’re talking, and talking leads to dating. It makes sense. “Taehyung was hiding it from me too.” That elicits a gasp from Taehyung and Seokjin whips his head so fast towards his best friend that Jungkook winces in his stead. 

“We’re not dating!” 

“How come I never knew about this!” 

“Well it’s—it’s new! And I just told Jungkook today. And we are NOT dating. We’re just—” Taehyung shrugs, “Talking.” Jin seems to mull over the words and when he’s about to say something Taehyung raises a hand. “Hyung. I promise on my secret passages map that I will tell you all about it—” He glares at Jungkook. “Don’t let him trick us. He’s very smart about that, he’s trying to change the subject.” 

Seokjin glares at Jungkook now too. “So, if the potion was done correctly. How come it didn’t work?” There’s a silence in the room while they wait for Jungkook’s answer. Jungkook does his best to calm his heart, he thinks happy thoughts, it’s almost as hard as trying to cast a patronus. After some painfully awkward minutes, he breathes out. Now or never. 

“Jimin has this ability, or, well, curse, that makes it so that potions don’t work on him. He was faking it all the time. The potion never had any effect on him.” Jungkook plays with the hem of his shirt. “The past few days, he was…playing, acting. I don’t know why he did it or how I never noticed, but yeah, he was never under the amortentia’s influence.” For some reason it is hard to admit this to his friends. To tell them what really happened, or at least in regards to Jimin and him. 

“Oh, wow.” Seokjin says. He seems shocked but not too surprised. “I’ve read about this, but it’s…rare. They don’t even teach students about it since it’s almost nonexistent. Some high class wizard families often have gifts, or curses, just abilities that most wizards would not have. But it is really random, it can skip generations and sometimes disappear altogether. It’s more of a myth than anything.”

“We’re wizards,” Taehyung grumbles. 

“Yes, but even for us things like this are rare. I've only read a little, and it wasn't even from a reliable source. But it is possible, being able to become invisible, yielding fire like a dragon, having the gift of healing without casting magic,” Seokjin looks at Jungkook, “immunity to potions.” Jungkook is not at all surprised that Seokjin knows about this. Even for himself it was hard to come to terms with it, so it’s a relief he doesn’t need to convince his Hyung. 

Taehyung whistles low, “You’re really unlucky.” 

“Yeah.” Jungkook tries not to frown, unlucky doesn’t even begin to cover what he’s feeling as of late. “I don’t want to see Jimin because I don’t understand why he would do that. I’m mad that he lied and I know I did too, but he knew . He was aware that I was lying and I was pretty clear about why I was doing what I was doing. I have no idea about his intentions though.” Jungkook lets out a frustrated huff. “And after everything that happened, I’m not even sure it’s okay for us to be anything at all.” 

“Woah, wait.” Jungkook freezes at Taehyung’s words, cursing himself at saying the last bit out loud. 

“You’re actually—you actually like him!” 

“What exactly happened?” Seokjin looks intently at Jungkook. “What happened that day?” More than curiosity there’s a certain kindness in Seokjin’s eyes. Perhaps his Hyung is aware of how hard this might be for Jungkook, it doesn’t matter, Jungkook appreciates it all the same. It’s hard, it takes some minutes, a few breaths and screwing his eyes shut until stars are floating behind his eyelids, but he finds the courage. 

He tells them. 

He starts with the story of Jimin’s brother. It is one of the things that eats at Jungkook the most, the kind of pain that old wounds brings, that’s one of the things Jimin must’ve felt when Jungkook was being attacked. He slowly approaches the big event, telling them how his brother found Jimin and him, how he used the curse. He tells them everything. How helpless he felt, Jimin protecting him until the end, everything up until the moment they landed on St. Mungo’s. When he’s almost finished, there’s a pain in his chest deep enough to feel like someone’s ripping his heart out. Seokjin is looking far away and there are tears in Taehyung’s eyes. 

“Accio.” Jungkook whispers softly, voice tight. He opens his palm just in time for Jimin’s gift to land on it. The little Ravenclaw diadem sits perfectly on Jungkook’s hand, and without meaning to, his tears finally start to fall. “It’s stupid, because, I never cared for gifts or birthdays. But Jimin—“ he chokes up, “he’s stubborn, he gave me this and—at that moment I didn’t care about the ceremony, about my family, it was just us. For that moment I wanted to be honest, because I had never felt that, and I believed that I was—I was feeling all these things while it was all a lie.” 

“You don’t like Jimin,” Seokjin says, Jungkook looks up from his gift. His friends are eyeing him, eyes shiny with their own tears. “You don’t like Jimin at all. You fell for him.” Taehyung looks from Seokjin to Jungkook, and he laughs. A real, wholehearted laugh. 

“You’re in love with Park Jimin. All these years and you fell in love with him in three days.” 

“It wasn't three days.”‘Jungkook complains, ears turning red. He sighs, “It’s stupid. I made a potion, I charmed us a lie so he would fall for me and all I did was fall for him instead. Now I’m too scared to confront him. I’m too scared because I don’t know anything. I don’t know what’s going on in his mind, why he did it all, why he wants to see me now. I know nothing and it’s driving me insane.”

“A Ravenclaw going insane because he doesn’t know something. It’s quite fitting,” Seokjin cheerfully adds. 

“You could know,” Taehyung says softly, their tears are dried out, and Jungkook feels lighter. He knows his friends would’ve asked more things but he’s glad they didn’t. He’s glad they focused more on the Jimin situation of it all instead of focusing on his rocky family relations. “If you talked to Jimin you would know.” 

“Yes.” Jungkook doesn’t miss a beat, he agrees completely. He’s had this battle with himself already. His brain is frantically telling him to run to Jimin, to go and learn the truth, and know his intentions. It wants all the answers. But his heart, Jungkook’s heart is frail, beating with the whispers of the small moments that passed between Jimin and him. It’s afraid, afraid that whatever answers he finds will shatter what’s left of it. 

Perhaps when you live your life thinking you’ll never be able to feel, or thinking you won’t care about feeling, about love or relationships, you unknowingly leave yourself weak and unprepared for when they do come. Because sometimes love is like a cold: you forget you’re vulnerable to catch it, so you go out at the peak of winter because the promise of snow is too good to pass; you enjoy it, you enjoy the snow fights and the sled rides, and only when the cold hits two days later do you remember you should’ve protected yourself against it, or prepare yourself better for it. 

Jungkook didn’t care for love or relationships so he never cared about protecting himself against all that it entailed. He never cared about knowing how to deal with it all: the feelings, the torment, the overthinking. He’s a kid learning to walk and he’s afraid he’ll reach the stairs without any knowledge of how to stop. He’s afraid of getting his heart broken, because he doesn’t know what he’ll do then. He barely even knows how to deal with the fact that he has a heart that cares, and that it beats whispering Park Jimin’s name. 

He hates not knowing, but he’s more afraid—for once—of what truth he’ll find. 

He meets Taehyung’s eyes, “I know my answers are with Jimin, but my fears are too.” 

“Well shit, Romeo.” Taehyung throws his arms up, then promptly stands.  “One small love situation and you’re spewing poetry. Hell. Quite amazing to be honest.” Jungkook turns red, his neck all the way to his forehead feels warm. 

“Think about it, Jungkook. It’s not like you can hide here forever. I—I won’t say I understand what you’re feeling, but I think that if it were me, knowing would at least calm a part of me. Also, you can’t avoid Jimin forever.” 

“Watch me.” 

“Yup. I guess the heartfelt moment is done. He’s back to being a stubborn brat.” Taehyung rolls his eyes, walking to the door. “Nice intervention, but I got a date. I’m quite bummed that I’ll have to say we have made no progress.” 

“What?” Seokjin and Jungkook ask at the same time. 

Taehyung smiles sheepishly, “What? You think it was my idea to have an intervention.” He pulls the door open and Namjoon, Jungkook’s very famous and now—newly nicknamed—traitor cousin, is standing with his head hung low, right in front of it. “I’m merely the muscle, he’s the brain of the operation.” Jungkook lets the words sink in. It’s bad enough that Taheyung did this but knowing it was actually his cousin’s idea is worse. On top of it all, it means that Namjoon was aware, up to some point, of Jungkook’s feelings for Jimin. 

It embarrasses him to such an extent that he has to recite the list of Ravenclaw heads four times in his mind to keep himself from strangling Taehyung, or his Namjoon, or both. It takes a moment, but he smiles, he’s sure he must look insane because Taehyung winces, smiling a little bit weird. 

“You two may be dating.” Namjoon’s head snaps up, eyes meeting Jungkook’s, and he can see the way his cheeks turn red. Oh, Jungkook will have so much fun with them. “And I might not have the leverage of telling Hyung about your crush, but I do have a good amount of stories about what exactly your crush on him made you do. Multiple times.” The Gryffindor common room is one of the most reddish places in Hogwarts. If for some absurd reason you ever need a red item, for anything, you just need to ask a Gryffindor and they’ll find it. Jungkook thinks that Taehyung might be a nice add-on to the common room. He goes so red at Jungkook's comment that it looks almost funny in contrast to his yellow sweater. 

“You wouldn’t,” Taehyung gasps. 

“What stories?” Namjoon asks. 

Jungkook smiles, even if he never tells his cousin, he’s sure Namjoon will nag Taehyung about it until the end of days. After all, ravenclaw’s like to know things, preferably everything, and if Jungkook’s stubborn, so is his cousin. “Good luck, Tae-tor .” Jungkook swings his wand and the door to his room snaps shut. He can hear Namjoon asking Taehyung about the stories again, and Taehyung ushering them away. He chuckles a bit, then turns to find Seokjin amused looking at him. 

“That last ‘Tae-tor’ bit was lame, but I’ll let it pass since everything else was spot on. I’ve never seen Taehyung go so red.” Jungkook laughs and flops back in his bed. He hears more than sees Seokjin get up and take the tray of food. “Think about talking to Jimin. I actually think you might be surprised,” he says softly. Jungkook sighs, burying his face in his pillow. He knows his Hyung means well, but Jungkook just doesn’t feel ready yet. 

“You guys don’t need to sleepover tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hears his door open and close, and turns to watch the ceiling. Maybe he just needs time. Everything Jungkook is feeling right now is new, he never expected to find himself in this situation. The fact that he accepted his feelings and then was dropped into such drastic events doesn’t help him come to terms with everything calmly either. He needs time. The more he thinks about it, the better the idea seems. Maybe with a little bit of time his fear will not be this vast, and that will help him think better, too. He can get his mind straight in a few more days and that will help to get better answers out of Jimin. 

Time. He needs time. With that thought in mind, he gets ready for bed, and lets the memory of Jimin’s laugh lull him to sleep. 

In his mind, everything is perfect as it is, no potions, no tricks, no lies. Just two boys who happened to fall in love with no pain or curses at all. 

.•*•.•*•.

Whenever he sleeps while the day is still bright, he dreams of Jimin. It may be because the blinding brightness of the sun reminds him of Jimin’s smile, or because the strong rays of it remind him of the way Jimin’s hair shines. But it never fails, he always dreams of Jimin, and deep down he knows that’s one of the reasons he decides to stay in his room and take a nap during the day. 

It shouldn’t matter though, because at night his dreams aren’t any better. Of course, at night he’s susceptible to nightmares too, his screams from that day follow him until he wakes up screaming in bed too. Jimin’s blood coating every bit of his hands until he wakes up feeling like his bed is drowning in it too. At night, his dreams can be both beautiful or treacherous. 

Tonight, to his luck, he’s on the beautiful side of his dreams. 

On good nights, he always dreams of Jimin giving him his birthday present, or of Jimin casting that warm flame between them. He knows they’re dreams because unlike in real life, in his dreams he’s calmer. He even dares to put his hand on the fire once Jimin lights it up, only to find the fire is cold. This time, though, he feels the warmth closer, and they’re not in the astronomy tower. Jimin is in his room, softly resting his body on one of Jungkook’s bedposts. He’s lighting a small flame, but it’s only on his index finger; it’s little, but it’s enough to light up Jimin’s features and part of his bed. 

“I’m very hurt that my boyfriend was not at The Great Hall to greet me after I saved him,” Jimin says. There’s a small breeze that ruffles the hair covering his forehead, and Jungkook tries to remember if he left his window open before falling asleep. Maybe in his dreams he always lets it open. “Do you prefer to dream about me or would you care to acknowledge me now?” The words take longer than Jungkook would’ve liked to sink in, and when they do, he sits right up, blinking blearily and finally noticing that he’s been awake for a few minutes already, tiptoeing between reality and dreams. 

“Jimin.” 

“That’s Hyung, to you.” Jimin smiles, blindingly just as Jungkook remembers. His eyes are twinkling, bright and full of mischief. 

Jungkook remembers Jimin’s first words, and before he can think about anything else he stumbles trying to sit up straighter, “We’re not boyfriends,” he says, more hurried than he intended. Clearing his throat, he gathers the courage to look Jimin in the eyes. “That was all a lie. I gave you a love potion.” He doesn’t know why he’s saying this, he’s certain this wasn’t the first thing he had planned on saying to Jimin once they finally met. But now that they’re here he feels the urge to protect his heart, to protect these newfound feelings. 

Jimin hums, detaching himself from the bedpost and approaching Jungkook, there’s a glimmer in his eyes as he gently sits on Jungkook’s bed, his body mere inches from Jungkook’s. “But potions don’t work on me, love,” Jimin drawls and the word resonates in Jungkook’s brain. Love. Love. Love. “ My week at St. Mungo serves as proof.” He arches an eyebrow at Jungkook, looking at him in such a way that makes breathing a little hard. 

“Does it matter? It was still all a lie.” The words are weak, because even as he says it he knows that not all of what they did together, what they said to each other, was a lie. He knows it. He has a heart beating at the same pace of Jimin’s breaths to prove it. But he doesn’t want to acknowledge it, not in front of Jimin, not first. Because he still doesn’t know the intentions behind Jimin’s lie. Why did Jimin do it? And, did Jimin end up like Jungkook? Having to deal with foolish feelings from a love that was conjured up by a lie? 

“Come on, you little blue blood, use that wisdom for something,” Jimin taunts, and Jungkook feels him squeeze closer. “Do you really believe it was all a lie?” Jimin’s tone is soft, as if he were coaxing the answers out of a child. He shrugs. “I mean, I guess I did lie, so did you. But was it all a lie? I had a few days full of dreamy thoughts induced by medicine. The question was eating me alive.” 

“Did you find an answer?” For Jungkook things are always straightforward, knowledge is a little bit more black and white because it’s all about learning and practicing. Having spent a few days with Jimin just showed him how untrue that becomes when applied to real life. Nothing is ever that bland or easy. It’s blurred. Blurred lines of feelings and so many little things. Nothing is made of just one thing; there’s a million little things that make up something. Jimin knows the world like that—in a kind of refreshing way—full of ideas that bend the lines and create swirls around them. 

Jungkook feels like he knows the answer, but it’s silly to say it, because he only knows it now that Jimin is here. 

Jimin’s smile is soft, so soft, his eyes are warm, the collar of his white button up is ruffled, his Slytherin tie messily tied around it. “Of course I did. I keep beating you at things like this. I guess Ravenclaw’s aren’t that smart after all.” He’s taunting Jungkook, Jungkook can see it in the slight glint of his eyes, the drawl of his voice, but he doesn’t care, not really. It’s Jimin, it’s what they do. “It was all a lie at first, I guess. Yoongi had warned me about it. He told me that the lines of real and not real would get blurred, but I wanted to prove him wrong.”

Jungkook, for once, does not feel too lost. He feels like he knows exactly what Jimin is getting at. It creates a certain excitement all over his body, in his heart. It fills him with anticipation, and perhaps he’s a little done with feeling scared, perhaps some of Jimin’s recklessness has passed onto him. He asks, “Did you?” He feels like the magical creatures professor dropped a dragon in his room. Suddenly it feels warm, too warm, but he lets it fuel him, lets the warm feed the fire he feels inside. 

“What?” Jimin asks, eyes hooded as he looks at Jungkook. 

The warmth burns, but Jungkook lets it, and he tugs on Jimin’s arm until Jimin is on top of him. He’s not sure what he’s doing, and his courage is quickly burning out, but he breathes in the moment anyways. Jimin’s thighs are bracketing his legs, one of Jimin’s arms is still tightly held by one of Jungkook’s hands and the other is softly laying on Jungkook’s chest. Jungkook feels on fire, and for a moment he’s paralyzed. Jimin is beautiful on top of him. “Did you prove him wrong?” he breathes out, chest rising and falling, trying to get oxygen to his lungs. 

Jimin smirks a little, his hand travelling down from Jungkook’s chest to his stomach, Jungkook’s breath gets caught up in his throat. Jimin leans down, “I’m afraid I didn’t. I’m weak, whether you believe it or not.” He whispers, his eyes are capturing Jungkook’s, and for a moment he swears there’s light moving in them. Jimin is graceful in everything he does, in the way he moves and the way he touches Jungkook, the way he looks at Jungkook. Jungkook is sure Jimin could have the power to enchant him, no need of potions or spells at all. 

Jungkook is out of his mind, drunk on Jimin’s closeness, the courage he had earlier has all but burned away, and all he can see is Jimin’s gaze and the flutter of his eyelashes. He can only feel Jimin, the weight of his body, the strength of his thighs, the softness of his hands. It shuts everything else out, he forgets they have a million things to talk about, a million things to perhaps clear up, but for once in his life, Jungkook can wait for answers. For this moment, he can wait to know all the bits and pieces of what happened. For now, only one answer, the one that will calm the fear in his heart, is the one that matters. “Kiss me?” he breathes. It sounds more like a plea than anything. He tightens his hold on Jimin's arm, and lets his other hand drift to Jimin’s waist. 

He closes his eyes. The fear in his heart hits him like a bludger to the chest. He tries not to panic, not to let his mind go into overdrive. This. This is the thing he wanted to avoid, he knew meeting Jimin again would send all these confusing feelings into chaos. He tries to breathe, but it only ends as a choked gasp once Jimin leans in. Jimin brings his hand up again, trailing it to his chest ever so slowly. It doesn’t help calm his nerves, Jimin must feel the thunderous beat of his heart. There’s a roaring in his ears, it blends neatly with the sound of his beating heart, his breaths come short. Waiting. Waiting has never been his strong suit. 

Just when he feels like he’ll combust, Jimin connects their lips. Everything becomes quiet, his heart skips a beat, and for a moment every thought jumps out the window. There’s only them, the places where Jimin’s body touches his own and the warm wetness of their lips. Jimin’s hand twists the front of Jungkook’s sweater, bunching it in his fist, pulling Jungkook up, incredibly close. It makes Jungkook’s mind come back to him at an almost crashing rate, his thoughts making him burn with images of Jimin. He tightens his hold on Jimin’s waist, eliciting a gasp from the older, Jungkook feels like he’s in free fall. Not a dangerous one, not at all, but an intentional free fall, like a playful game of quidditch. He feels as though he and Jimin are racing through the sky, going up and up, only to let themselves fall, to feel the mist of the clouds hitting their faces and the air rattle their hair, threatening to rip it from their scalps—free falling, only to pull themselves up just before meeting land. 

Kissing Jimin is exhilarating. It’s enjoying the jump through the cold, even if the world thinks you’ll crash, only to be pulled back by warmth itself. It’s addicting, and he’s only had one taste. 

“Jungkook,” Jimin says, breathy, breaking apart so they can catch their breaths. Jungkook opens his eyes only to have the breath knocked out of his chest. Jimin’s lips are red, his blouse is even more messy than it was when he came in, and his hair is hiding his eyes. Without thought, Jungkook brings a hand out and tucks a few strands behind Jimin’s ear. He retreats his hand slowly, his fingers leaving a trail from Jimin’s ear, tracing his jawline, down to the curve of his chin, his thumb softly touching Jimin’s bottom lip. He’s enchanted, through and through. “We should talk,” Jimin murmurs. But Jungkook doesn’t feel like talking anymore. 

“What was that kiss to you?” he asks instead, his hand going back to Jimin’s waist. The hand that was holding Jimin’s arm moves lower, intertwining their fingers. Being with Jimin is a whiplash of emotions, fear, excitement and…love. He knows what he felt in that kiss, and even if he doesn’t care about anything else right now, he wants to be sure of this. He wants them to be sure of this. 

Jimin smiles, “Perhaps not a blurred beginning, but a clear one.” 

Maybe because it’s Jimin, maybe because his mind remembers more of the calmness he felt while being with Jimin than the supposed lies, but he feels at ease, so he tells Jimin, “I’m afraid this is all a lie too.”  They both had a cursed lie to tell each other, even if they both fell in love. It was confusing and hard to stay mad, but now, now that everything is half clear, that they’re here together, no lies and no potions in between it scares him to death. More than being hurt by Jimin, he’s scared of what it’ll do to his feelings for Jimin. Love, he’s come to learn, is another thing with blurred lines. Love has a blurred boundary with hate. If Jimin ever hurt him, he’s afraid of what his love could become. He’s not sure he could live with having to hate Jimin again. 

For a moment, he thinks he’s said something wrong because Jimin goes still, then untangles their fingers and gets off of Jungkook. He sits by the end of the bed, back resting on one of Jungkook’s bedposts. Jungkook sits straighter, back to his bed rest. His hands feel empty, his body cold, he feels dizzy for a second. Jimin smiles softly and reassuringly at him, then blows a raspberry. “Well, this certainly is embarrassing.” 

Jungkook feels bile coming up. He tries to regulate his breathing. “What, Jimin?” It comes out a bit harsh, but Jimin doesn’t seem to notice, or he simply doesn’t care. He just stares at the ceiling, and Jungkook follows his line of sight, only now does he notice how dark the room is. It must be the middle of the night and Jimin’s face is only barely visible, half obscured by the darkness and the other half a little more visible thanks to the faint light of the moon. It bothers Jungkook for some reason. Jimin has moved further away so it’s hard to read his expressions. “Can you move closer? I can’t see you well.” It’s an excuse at best, a half truth, he just needs to feel like Jimin isn’t going away. 

Jimin sighs, there’s a bit of a ruffling sound and then: “Expecto patronum.” He must’ve taken his wand out, blue light, almost white, flares out of the top of his wand. It travels up, up, until it reaches the ceiling, materializing into a bunny. It jumps happily all over Jungkook’s ceiling. Jungkook watches it go, a small smile playing at his features without him noticing. He watches the bunny for a few seconds more, then looks down to Jimin only to find the Slytherin already looking at him. Thanks to the patronus jumping around, the room is much brighter, Jimin’s face shines under the light the bunny radiates. Jungkook is surprised to find he’s slightly red. 

“It’s beautiful,” Jungkook says, talking about the bunny, but not taking his eyes away from Jimin. If possible, Jimin goes even redder. 

“Since my brother, I haven’t been able to cast one. I could do the charm alright, but I could never get it to take form. It would just come out as regular light. A regular weak incorporeal patronus.” Jimin watches the bunny skip along Jungkook’s curtain railings. “One day, I was practicing again, and after a few tries, and after reading the charm a thousand more times, I was able to do it. I spent all night following the bunny along the gardens of my house, laughing as if it were a real pet. I fooled myself into thinking it was just the lack of practice, that perhaps I had forgotten what makes the spell, how to do a corporeal patronus. I knew it was a lie, an excuse I made for myself. I didn’t want to accept the memory I had used to create it. It felt like a betrayal to my brother. To myself.” Jimin looks at Jungkook and chuckles quietly to himself. 

“What memory did you use, Hyung?” 

“In my last year as a regular student, I wanted to enjoy things I wouldn’t be able to enjoy anymore. I knew I would be too busy in advanced studies, and the prospect of inheriting the Slytherin head title was looming too, so I did lots of reckless things that year. My last free year. There was this day that I wanted to play quidditch. Just a friendly match with friends. We planned it all out, only to find another group of friends had the same idea.” Jungkook feels a shiver run down his spine, he remembers that day too well. The rivalry between Jimin and him was always just there. They were from families that lived years hating each other. They were born to compete in every way, and spent most of their lives doing so. But they had never been really vocal or physical about it. Until that game. “I guess you remember that day too. Well, I’m not sure how you remember it, but it was probably one of the best days of my year.” 

“Yeah. You beat my ass at quidditch and sent a bludger my way, multiple times,” Jungkook says, ashamed and wincing at the memory. It had been the first time he ever felt like he hated Jimin. His group had won, but it still felt like Jimin was the real winner thanks to all the great moves he did. 

“Yeah, but it never hit you. You dodged every single one, even took a few of my friends out as you did. My favorite thing was that you laughed. While running from the bludgers, dodging them and wrecking my friends broom’s, while almost toppling face first into the floor, you laughed. After a while, I wasn’t even playing, I was just throwing them at you to watch you laugh as you played.” 

“I knew it! I told Taehyung you were targeting me on purpose.” 

Jimin laughs, “Yeah, to watch you laugh. I hadn’t had that much fun ever since—well, for a long time. I don’t know why, but watching you be so free, soaring through the field and laughing as you did, it became contagious at that moment. I spent all the match making you angry, then watching you laugh as you outran all my plays.” Jimin opens his palm and the bunny jumps from the top of the bedpost to it. “When you caught the snitch, you came flying at me, not even to your friends first. I was at the very top, almost at the edge of the clouds, and you flew to me, snitch in hand, and smiled. You didn’t laugh, or taunt, you smiled.”

“I was happy then,” Jungkook confesses. “For a moment I had forgotten about everything, and I was genuinely happy to have won against you. After all those quidditch tournaments. Then I remembered it wasn’t a tournament and that it was you I was smiling at, and I scowled, but you were already flying down, calling an end to the game.” 

“Hmm. Well, I was happy then too. I don’t know if you ever noticed it or saw it that way, but it was the first time we had played without actual rivalry. Even if after that game you became more aggressive, it was after. Maybe it was because it was a friendly game, not a tournament, but during the game, you were just a guy showing off skills. It was the first time I saw a glimpse of just Jeon Jungkook, not Jeon Jungkook, son of Ravenclaw’s head and my sworn enemy.” Jimin rolls his eyes. “That day, when you smiled in the middle of the clouds, at the top of the field, I thought for the first time that things weren’t so bad.” 

“But—”

“I gave the form to my patronus two days later. With that memory, the memory of your smile.” The bunny jumps from Jimin’s hand to Jungkook’s lap. Jungkook watches it, out of breath, heart so silent he concentrates to make sure it is even beating at all. 

“Jimin.” He’s not sure he understands. This. This wasn’t something he was expecting at all. He never thought that before the amortentia Jimin had thought any good of him at all. Jungkook thought that, just like him, Jimin had always thought horribly about him. It strikes him like a bolt of lightning. He never appreciated Jimin for just Park Jimin, not until the potion.  

“I lied—I faked being under the potion because it was a chance. After that game, I never saw you smile again. Of course, I’d see you laugh and smile with your friends, but never again like that day. I had a patronus with your smile as its light but I wasn’t able to glimpse that smile again. Never like that day, never directed at me, never genuine,” Jimin says, voice a bit loud. The bunny dissolves in Jungkook’s lap, the room drowning in darkness again. “It makes me mad—made me mad. I’ve always gotten what I wanted and something as easy as a smile was hard to get. Then you came to me for help, and I thought—just for a second—I thought I’d say yes. But I was stubborn, and vengeful and it made me angry that you’d come to me and be somewhat amiable, only then, only when you needed something.” 

“I—I—” Jungkook is glad for the darkness now, because the words make him feel so bad he knows his eyes must be showing all the things that his voice can’t muster to say. 

“Then you tried the potion. Even before you used it I knew. I could recognize the liquid, I could—” Jimin shakes his head. “I drank it, and played along. I told my friends and they told me I was insane, that I was better off telling on you, getting rid of you. But you hadn’t smiled at me yet. I was already playing along, so I figured, why not? Maybe just until I could see it again. Now that I say it, it sounds so stupid, I was so blind.” 

“It’s not stupid. You—” But Jimin cuts him off again. 

“I never saw it for what it was until Hyung told me off. He got so mad at me for talking about you. For complaining about your attitude. For playing along. He said I liked you, and I laughed at his face. I wanted to scream at him, I called him crazy. I didn’t like you. I couldn’t like you. I just wanted to see you smile. To see that bit of brightness again. Then he asked me what the potion smelled like and my whole lie, my whole world came crashing down.” Jimin whispers something, so low Jungkook can’t catch it, another bunny patronus bubbles out of his wand and goes jumping around Jungkook’s room. “I told him potions don’t work on me. That I smelled nothing, but I was lying. Potions don’t work on me, but I can still smell them, sense them, taste them. Even if those things are part of them. It’s only the primary effect, the long effect that does nothing to me. Those small things, I am able to discern.” 

Jungkook gulps, “What did it smell like, Hyung? What—what scent did the potion bring up for you?” 

“Don’t you know the answer already?” Jimin sighs. “I guess that, naturally, you want confirmation. It’s silly isn’t it? You lied to me, but I tricked you from the start, I even tricked myself. I lied to myself.” Jimin murmurs the last bit, more to himself than anything. He looks around Jungkook’s room. “Being here, it only makes me more sure. The potion smelled like you. A soft citrus scent, but not from the fruit, just—like the tree or leaf of the fruit itself, pure and untainted.” 

There’s a part of Jungkook that’s so happy and elated, he feels he could run a mile. He could dare Jimin to a quidditch match and maybe win a thousand times. He could kiss Jimin senselessly. Hug him until all this talk is nothing but nonsense. Yet, there’s another part of him so shocked he feels he is barely breathing. So shocked, that the only words that come out are, “You liked me this whole time? This. Whole. Time? Like—before the potion?!”

“I just told you that. And don’t yell at me, I didn’t know!” 

“You didn’t know you liked me?” The bunny jumps between them, and something else comes to Jungkook’s mind. “You say that for a Ravenclaw I’m slow but—how come you didn’t know until Yoongi-ssi asked you about the potion’s smell!? Your patronus is my smile, Jimin-Hyung. My smile!” he says, exasperated. He’s not entirely sure why, or where he's going with this, but it’s the first thought and feeling he registers, so he goes with it. 

“It’s not your smile. It’s a bunny! A bunny because of your smile!”

“Why a bunny, anyways?” Jungkook asks, much lower and softer, he’s actually curious about it. He's been curious since Jimin first said it. 

Jimin turns his face away. “You look like one,” he whispers. Then he clears his throat, “When you smile. You look like a bunny when you smile.” Jungkook is so surprised at the comment that it takes him a moment to process it. Jimin is still looking away and Jungkook can’t tell if it helps or not. 

He’s sure his cheeks must be aflame. “I—I don’t!” It comes out weak. He knows he does, Taehyung has told him multiple times. Jungkook is half sure there’s a bunny hidden in his closet, one that Taehyung won for him in a muggle game machine with a claw. “I don’t think we can date,” he says under his breath, moving to get up. 

“Because I think you look like a bunny?! Wait—date!?” Jimin is up now too, the bunny makes circles over their heads, jumping without tiring out. 

“I—well.” Shit. 

“So, you want to date?” Jimin asks, taking slow steps towards Jungkook. “I already laid all my secrets out. You still want me?” 

“All?” 

Jimin shrugs. “Maybe half, only boyfriends get the whole thing.” Jungkook feels like he’s in a tornado. It twirls and twirls, taking him to the top, then swirling him down to the very bottom, then up again. An endless tornado playing around with his heart, mind and soul. 

This tornado is green, though, green and has Park Jimin written all over it. 

“What secrets do you have, Jeon?” Jimin closes the space between them, arms looping around Jungkook’s neck. Jungkook feels warm all over again. Fire burning somewhere in him once again. 

“I’m glad it wasn’t all a lie. I’m glad it wasn’t all the potion. I’m glad you like me. I—” He grabs Jimin by the waist, not because of courage, but to have something to hold on to. “I’m glad my lie ended up being true. Most of all, I’m glad that I fell for you, Park Jimin.” 

“It’s Hyung,” Jimin jokes half-heartedly.

“I’m glad we like each other, Hyung.” 

“Good then, love. Kiss me.” Love. Love. Love. It’s music to Jungkook’s ears. He smiles and without second thought, he kisses Jimin. 

For all the cunning games the Slytherin played. For all the lies they brewed, for the times the Ravenclaw hated the snake, Jungkook is infinitely glad. 

He’d do it a thousand times again. And again. 

He’d do it all over again if it meant that at the end he’d have Jimin’s body close to his, forgetting the pains, the worries, and only remembering their names and the way their lips meet each other, learning a spell no one else may have a chance to learn. 

He’d do it again. (Maybe, minus the quidditch tournament losses). 

.•*•.•*•.

“What are you doing?” Jungkook asks for what feels like the hundredth time only to be ignored by Jimin once again. The Slytherin keeps pulling him along, snow crunching beneath their feet as they hurry off to who knows where. They’re off for winter break, and although Jungkook was dreading it, Jimin has made an exceptional effort for this break to be absolutely—well, exceptional. They had been backpacking across various countries. Apparently Jimin had a wide net of wizard friends and acquaintances all over the globe. 

He doesn’t like to gloat about it, which honestly surprised Jungkook at first, but it made sense after a while. Jimin met most of these people at ceremonies and balls for him , being the Slytherin head and all. Not an heir, but the head. Last October, on Jimin’s birthday (where Jungkook tried to give a better gift than the one Jimin had given him, but failed), Jimin’s inheritance ceremony was done. Of course, they always knew it would happen, Jimin being an only son now, but it was still quite bittersweet. Jimin never cared for the title, which is quite ironic, because he’s perfect at his role. 

“We are almost there.” 

“Wher—” before he can bother to ask again, Jimin engulfs them in shadows, their insides twisting, breaths mingling and oxygen breaking out of their lungs. Jungkook clamps his mouth shut, bile threatening to come up and his heart stuttering. 

Jimin’s apparating them, again. 

It’s normal of course, something wizards do to get here and there. For Jungkook though, after the events last September, it’s hell. It’s funny, Jimin’s the one that was badly hurt yet he does it without fear or complaints. Jungkook, however, hates it now. Every time, it leaves him dizzy with images of blood in his mind. It breaks his heart all over again. It’s a bloody hell. 

The moment they materialize again, Jimin’s on him. Hands on his shoulders, swiftly working their way up his neck, squeezing, letting go, then going up and up. Jimin holds his face gently, with so much care that Jungkook dares to open his eyes. Jimin smiles, thumb caressing under Jungkook’s glasses, then using the same hand to tug those glasses off. “You’re okay, see? We’re fine, love.” Jimin has never complained. He does his best to apparate less, or to make Jungkook’s experience as good as possible. He’s Jungkook’s light and anchor in more ways than one. 

“You didn’t tell me.” Jungkook breathes, more whiny than anything. 

“It’s better that way. The last few times I told you before doing it you just got more anxious. So, I went with the surprise route.” Jimin shrugs, stealing a kiss from Jungkook, “You’re even talking.” Jungkook shudders, images leaving his mind and becoming dust. He smiles at Jimin, he still feels anxious, but it’s not as bad as other times, it’s true. 

“I think I need another kiss to, you know, make it feel better.” Jimin laughs, uncaring and free. His hands trail up, tangling in Jungkook’s hair until he’s pulling Jungkook closer, capturing their lips together. A shock of electricity goes through Jungkook, creating so much static that he feels he can fly. Jimin tugs on his hair harder and Jungkook’s hands fly up to Jimin’s waist, pulling him closer. Their bodies crash against each other, and they hiss through their kiss. The kiss grows harsher, Jungkook making an embarrassing sound at the back of his throat when Jimin bites his lip. 

They break apart, warm breaths making puffs of air as they gasp to get oxygen back to their lungs. Jungkook never thought kissing could be this great, but Jimin—Jimin does everything better than most. It was foolish of him to think kissing would be any different. As if reading his thoughts, or perhaps just enjoying Jungkook’s dazed face, Jimin grins. “Kissed it better?” he asks, diving in to steal another peck. Jungkook’s smile breaks wide across his face, hands tightening on Jimin’s waist. 

“Always.” He takes a step back, needing to leave Jimin’s warmth before he tackles him down just to kiss him senseless until the sunset turns dark. It’s happened before. So he breathes out, feeling the cold hit him tenfold. Once there’s more space between them, he flexes his hands, missing Jimin’s body beneath them. Addictive. He never thought love could be so addicting. Being with Jimin, since day one, has been like opening a dictionary. It’s as if he’s learning things and re-learning old ones. There are a million things he thought he knew, but Jimin, in more ways than one, has changed him. Jimin has made him forget, destroyed knowledge and then relearn it in ways that just…matter. 

Jungkook is nothing but a jewel that has been through enough pressure and has been carefully—naturally, with the kindness Jimin provides—compressed over time to become better. It’s silly, most times he can’t believe he’s this man that has fallen in love and thinks of more things than just winning, and becoming more. Jungkook always thought of the future, what he’d do, what he wanted, and what he’d become. Not that that was bad, of course not, but sometimes thinking of the future too much makes you forget about the present. You forget about living promised todays just because of uncertain tomorrows. 

Jimin has shown Jungkook how to live. How to enjoy todays and how to plan for present things they can enjoy. It’s silly, Jungkook had to go through so many things and processes to view life like this. Yet Jimin, even with the challenges he’s faced, has always been like this. Where Jungkook is, perhaps, inorganic, a jewel made after being thoroughly compressed, Jimin is a natural, born to shine in such a way. 

Of course, Jungkook may never say these things out loud, but he knows by the shine in Jimin’s eyes, the kindness in his touch, that he does not need to. Jimin knows. 

“I love you,” Jimin says, so naturally and out of nowhere, something Jungkook’s heard many times by now but still makes his heart beat like it’s running a mile. “I have a surprise.” Jimin turns around. Once Jungkook is met with his boyfriend’s back, he takes a moment to gather their surroundings. They’re in the town where most elite families live. Where they live. “Come on now,” Jimin urges, turning just a bit to extend his hand. 

Jungkook shakily takes Jimin’s hand. “I’m not sure if I should say ‘I love you’ back. Where are we going?” he jokes, more serious than not. If they’re going to Jimin’s home, that’s okay, they’ve been there many times throughout their break. The last time they visited was after their trip to Paris. They spent a great time at the top of the tower with some wizard friends of Jimin’s. It also ended with them trying some herbs or something, which then prompted them to ravage most of their food. By the end of it, before moving to their next destination, Jimin had to apparate them home, where his mom repackaged them days of foods.

It took some time, but Jimin’s family accepted him with warm hugs and teacups. They’re amazing, just like Jimin said. Jungkook often watches his parents, the love they seem to have for each other, and secretly wishes for Jimin and his love to last that long. Strong and undeterred. 

“Not to my house.” Jimin winces a little, a shaky smile appearing on his lips. “ But, worth it anyways.” 

“You’re scaring me.” 

“Close your eyes.” 

“That’s not helping.” 

“You’re impossible, Jeon. I guess we’re doing this the hard way. Forgive me, love.” 

“What?” Before he can properly complain, Jimin kisses him. He goes completely relaxed, instantly turning to nothing in Jimin’s hold, and then tenses when Jimin apparates them. His whole body turns rigid, but Jimin holds him, close and closer, never letting go. 

They land and Jungkook stumbles. He opens his eyes, gasping for breath, ready to curse Jimin. “You—” but his words die down. The grass, the stairs, the trees by the sides, he’d known this place with his eyes closed, the roses his father cut, and the air—the smell of home, but not home—it makes him want to run. “Jimin,” he breathes. “Why? Why—why are we here?” He’s gasping now, heart threatening to give out. 

“Baby? Hey,” Jimin says, stepping in front of Jungkook. That sweet smile, those crescent eyes, Jungkook breathes in, out. “Breathe. Hey, I’m here. This—she’s not here. He isn’t either.” Jungkook does not need to ask who Jimin is talking about, he knows. They never utter their names. “Only Namjoon-ssi. Only your father.” Jimin shrugs. “And a couple of aurors.” He squints his eyes. “I think Seokjin-hyung and Taehyung, too.” 

“What did you do?” Jungkook whispers, Jimin takes his hands, squeezing tight. 

“I recall that a certain Ravenclaw thought he was smart enough to trick a certain Slytherin into falling in love.” Jungkook frowns, but Jimin only smiles, eyes looking up, as if the sky had their story written across it. He closes them, sighing dreamily. “This particular little blue blood, not so smart after all,” Jimin says, one eye opening as he eyes Jungkook down, “was tricked by the cunningness of the snake.” Jungkook does his best to not throw a fit. It’s been months and they’re happy, but their usual competitiveness comes to light every now and then. Jungkook is witty, smart and fast, but Jimin is too, and to his advantage, he’s damn good at being cunning, sometimes even dirty when it comes to winning. 

Jungkook does his best not to sneer. “The Slytherin was quite a fool by the end of it all, I heard. A fool with a crush.” He smirks, a warm feeling taking over him when a slight tint of red makes it to Jimin’s cheeks, and he knows it’s not because of the cold. 

“As I was saying, the Ravenclaw was tricked.” Jimin makes a face. “But in the end, so was the snake, by his own venom. They both lost, really, but their initial interests weren’t the same by the end, so in reality they won.” Jimin pulls Jungkook closer, their lips mere inches away. “They fell into traps of their own making and, depending on who tells the story, some might say they were fools. Of course, fools who lost. But the real story is much different. They both won in the end, something much more valuable than what they expected.” Jimin lets go of one of Jungkook’s hands, trailing his hand to Jungkook’s chest. He rests it there, as if feeling Jungkook’s heartbeat was the guide he needed to finish his tale. “The snake, of course, was more of a fool than he’d like to admit. He had gone into the lie not knowing what he really felt. So, even if things ended differently than what he expected, after some time he knew that deep down, what happened was what he wanted all along.” 

“Jim—” It dawns on Jungkook, then, so hard it takes his breath away. They’ve talked about this many times before. Jimin always said that their lie, whatever charmed lie they conjured, even after all that, was not a loss for him. He just never knew that Jungkook was what Jimin always wanted. Jimin said that at the end, he’d won anyways, because he was able to see what was right in front of him, and able to walk away with it, hand in hand. 

“The Ravenclaw, though he made it out with precious cargo,” Jimin smiles sheepishly, “and a love to last a lifetime, he didn’t win the price he was so eager to get. He never complained, content with the thing he’d gotten at the end. But the Slytherin, forever in debt to the blue blood, thanks to the happiness he had brought him, made sure to not let his dream go to waste. 

“Since he had won greatly by the end of the quest, his love deserved the same, if not more.” 

“Jimin.” Jungkook’s vision is blurry, eyes teary. 

“I believe there’s a certain title we should add to your name, love.” Jimin smiles. “I have much to share, but it can all wait.” Jimin tugs him, hands clasped tightly with Jungkook’s, and kisses him, once, twice, drying tears away. Before Jungkook can even make sense of it all, Jimin is opening the door to the Jeon household. Jungkook is instantly greeted with the faces of his friends, his cousin, his father, and just like Jimin said, a couple of aurors. 

“Welcome, son.” His father greets him warmly and Jimin lets go of him. Jungkook does his best to not miss him instantly even if he’s a few feet away. He hugs his father, the only person of his family who cared, who showed him true love. His mother had come back only to leave again, taking her things and fleeing, and his brother was still being chased by aurors. But even with that knowledge Jungkook couldn’t find it in himself to come back home. He’d visit his father at work, go to dinners with him at different places, never home. 

“Father.” He says with a smile, coming back to himself. Hugs are given once more and Taehyung barrels into him with Seokjin following in tow, Namjoon gives a slight nod. It feels unreal, he looks at Jimin and he wishes he could make something out of the feeling that is bursting within him, burning him inside out like a firestorm spell. Jimin did this for him. He’s- he’s becoming the next head. 

“Jeon Jungkook. Come forward.” The aurors have a basin between them, long robes obscuring most of their bodies. The basin glows bright. With the sunset hiding away and making everything dark, the basin looks almost ethereal. Jungkook catches a glance towards Jimin, and his boyfriend nods, urging him forward. Jungkook takes a few steps, and the aurors start chanting the lawful words. Jungkook feels giddy as he hears them. “To protect the legacy of the Ravenclaw household, loyal to knowledge and truth. Jeon Jungkook, do you, as the sole, worthy heir of this inheritance, accept to bear the Ravenclaw head title, until time and magic deem it so?” 

There’s a moment of silence. He must accept before being tested, even if his brother is not here to battle him for the title. He must be tested so his magic can be categorized accordingly in the Jeon’s Ravenclaw history. He truly does not care. Jungkook knows his power is more than enough, especially thanks to Jimin’s lessons. But even then, he hesitates, because for some reason, he does not want to do it alone. Everyone waits with bated breath, but Jungkook only looks back. Jimin’s blonde hair, shining white, thanks to the light of the basin, his smile blinding Jungkook’s existence. 

He extends his hand. “I accept, and I shall take the test with my partner.” There’s a small gasp, one he knows comes from his father, then his cousin lets out a cough, and his friends grin so hard they look strained. Jungkook only watches Jimin walk to him, gracefully and ethereally. The magic of the basin instantly recognizes him—Jimin went through this already after all—it makes him glow, a soft green aura, pure green light, radiating off of him. Jungkook had seen it at his ceremony too, but for some reason it looks even more ethereal here. 

Jimin’s body is engulfed in green, as if green fire was burning within him. It turns brighter at his neck, shining almost white at his head. Once he steps by Jungkook’s side, it glows blindingly. A thin snake slithers across his neck, entertaining itself with the locket that glows against Jimin’s chest. The snake plays along it, then tangles itself in Jimin’s air, turning to a jeweled crown snake, then coming back to life to slither back to the locket, on and on it twines itself. It is the symbol of the Slytherin’s head. All symbols are magic itself, tangible only when they’re bestowed upon the next head, then becoming pure magic, intangible until the end. 

Jimin takes Jungkook’s hand. The aurors in front of them seem to breathe out, nodding as they dip their hands in and out of the basin. The liquid is crystal blue, and it drips thick from their hands. They chant a spell and the liquid becomes alive, swirling across Jimin and Jungkook. They turn sideways toward the basin, holding their hands together, looking into each other’s eyes. The liquid keeps making turns around them, then slowly it creates a net where their hands are joined; it burns bright. Jungkook thinks for a moment that this is it, but then it only keeps getting brighter and brighter, so much so that it seems to have channeled the stars. Everyone but the aurors closes their eyes, a small burst of life shines, and Jungkook opens his to see himself shining blue. 

His aura shines with the color of Ravenclaw, the net slowly drifts to the basin once again where it burns up, blue and green flames reach the ceiling. “Remarkable,” one of the aurors says. “Both powers are a fiery star alone, yet together they’re—” he shudders. “A galaxy” the other auror finishes for him. They signal for Jimin and Jungkook to face forward again. Jungkook, refusing to let go of Jimin, only lets go of one hand, keeping them intertwined together. They face forward, and Jungkook's heart starts beating fast enough that he’s sure the whole room can hear it. 

Jimin squeezes his hand, always incredibly attuned to him. “Jeon Jungkook, with the gift of magic, the responsibility of power, the ministry and wizarding world recognize you as the rightful heir to the Ravenclaw head.” The aurors dip their hands in the basin once again, bringing out a diadem. Jungkook holds in a gasp; it’s beautiful, the blue gem shining bright enough to battle the sky. 

Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem. 

The aurors both step forward, holding the diadem together. They approach slowly, Jungkook feels something, warmth or magic, radiating off of it. He steels himself, squeezing Jimin’s hand so tight he’s sure it must hurt. He closes his eyes, waiting. The diadem lands on his head with no weight at all, swift and light. Jungkook lets out a shuddering breath. Opening his eyes to see, finding it all blurred He’s sure tears must be falling down his cheeks. 

“Jeon Jungkook, Ravenclaw’s head.” 

His heart stutters. Blue light shines within and out, Jungkook is sure he must look like Jimin, only in blue and much less graceful. He turns to his boyfriend first, the one who, in more ways than one, made this possible, and smiles. He smiles so hard it hurts. 

“You look beautiful,” Jimin says. They both do. Jimin is shining bright in his green, the snake slithering across him, then trails up to create a small snake that poses as a crown on the top of his head. Jungkook is shining blue, an aura that flickers between the color of the sky and the deep darkness of the ocean. The diadem sits like a blue flame on top of his head, glowing bright. 

Enemies for generations. Enemies for centuries. Two families born to hate each other. Jungkook can’t help the laugh that escapes him. He pulls Jimin close, their auras, blue and green, tangling each other. The locket shining bright, the diadem battling it. Slytherin’s very own head, in love with Ravenclaw’s head. A match born from lies, a very charmed lie turned to love. 

“I love you,” Jungkook whispers. “You’re absolutely sneaky, but I love you even more for it.” 

“I told you I’m good at surprises. Unbeatable.” Jimin smirks. “I love you too, my love.” 

As they kiss, Jungkook is sure that a raven takes life on top of him, diving down to play with the snake flowing through Jimin’s hair.  

Who would’ve thought that trading a lie for love would turn out this way.