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.