Chapter Text
The dark corridor beyond the hidden door he had just gone through stretched for what felt like minutes, until Minho spotted Soobin and Soyeon in the distance.
The two other champions were standing in a circular room, their faces lit up by the flames roaring in the marble fireplace that adorned and warmed the room. Turning upon the noise of his entrance, Soobin smiled at the sight of him.
“Minho! You didn’t tell me you had put your name in the Goblet!”
Yeah, he’d rather forget that. Unfortunately, this rather disastrous situation made it impossible for him to bury himself in denial.
“Surprise…” He mumbled in a flat tone.
He was still processing everything. What scared him the most at the moment was to step out of this room to find his friends waiting for him, awaiting explanations. What could he even tell them? That an old infatuation, his curiosity, and a brief eye contact had crushed his resolve to the ground? He would rather have an earthworm as patronus.
Minho got to introduce himself to Soyeon, who gave him a polite smile before the three of them tried to have a normal conversation. Their nerves were still shaken from adrenaline, or dread in his case, so they tried to get to know each other better.
The Gryffindor had been leaning against the marble fireplace with his arms crossed when footsteps echoed through the narrow corridor, and soon enough, more people joined them. Dumbledore and Professor Snape came to stand beside him while the other champions found their own people.
“I must say the idea of you being Hogwarts’ champion hadn’t crossed my mind, Mister Lee.” The potion Professor drawled, his dark eyes set on him. “Perhaps you will find a way to survive.”
“Very reassuring, Professor.”
Only an arched eyebrow answered him.
Minho wasn’t stupid, he knew everyone had thought Bahng Chan would be the chosen one. And maybe it would have been the case if he hadn’t added his own name into the blue fire. Before he could open his mouth, another set of hurried footsteps echoed through the dark tunnel, and the sound of heels didn’t bode well. When he saw who emerged from the shadows, followed by the two Ministry officials, he almost groaned in misery.
Another thing he absolutely loathed was the press. All those articles telling rubbish, distorting stories only to gain attention, it irritated him greatly. So when Rita Skeeter, or the worst journalist of them all, gave them that smile full of sickeningly sweet hypocrisy, he almost pulled out his wand to blast her head off. Nothing good came out of that woman’s quill. Nothing.
“My my, two handsome champions and a gorgeous one.” She hummed, circling around them like a vulture.
She set her eyes on Soobin first, who visibly looked uncomfortable under her attention.
“Tall, wide shoulders… You will be our brave knight who will do his absolute best to come out of the Tournament unscattered in order to be reunited with your lover, who is worried sick about you…” She said theatrically while the Durmstrang champion grimaced at her words. "It would be great if you could end up badly injured at least once..."
Yeonjun was about to get very long and tormenting months ahead, seeing as his boyfriend will probably get a lot of unwanted attention from all over the world, motivated by false information and wishful thinking.
“And you! My dear, will be the frail damsel who desperately needs the one thousand galleons to assure herself another school year without the worry of money. Perhaps I should add a few siblings to make it more interesting…”
Soyeon seemed rather confused and a little disgusted.
“But I am rather well-off…?”
And when the vulture turned to Minho, he made sure to expose all the disdain he felt toward her on his face. He absolutely loathed the idea of being a source of entertainment in which nothing will be the truth. She could try, and he would make sure to render her life a living hell.
He was a Lee, he had tons of connections.
“Such piercing eyes…” She mumbled, observing him. “You radiate confidence… Like a cold prince who has something to prove to the world. Or perhaps, your motivation is of another nature…”
His features remained unmoving, refusing to give her even a crumb to use in order to create a whole fantasy around him.
After a minute of eye contact, she clapped her hands together.
“Alright! We should get to work! My name is Rita Skeeter, and I will be interviewing you after each task to inform our dear readers of your well-being. Or not. Your feats, your pains, your fears and your worries, I want to know everything.”
That was worse than intrusive. When Minho glanced at the other two champions, he was glad to see they were just as uncomfortable as he was. What a bunch of nonsense.
“But first, let’s take your pictures! I need them for tomorrow’s front page-”
“No.” Minho immediately cut her.
She turned to him with a vexed expression before she hurriedly schooled it into a fake sympathetic smile.
“Do not worry, we will make sure you look presentable-”
“You will not take my picture. I refuse to let my parents know their son is going to participate in a deadly tournament from the press.” Both Soobin and Soyeon seemed to realize that as well, and they quickly backed him up. “I will first send out a letter to inform them myself, only after they know will I agree to have my photo taken.”
Seeing the annoyed expression she tried so hard to hide almost made Minho smirk.
“I second that.” Soyeon said, frowning at the prospect of her own family learning about her involvement this way. “Surely, the grand reveal can wait a few days.”
“Count me third.” Soobin added, smiling when the gryffindor huffed at him.
He knew they had won. Without their explicit consent, she couldn’t snap their picture since they weren’t of age yet. Plus, the three of them were of pureblood families, and Rita Skeeter couldn’t afford getting blacklisted. So, she reluctantly agreed, giving them only three days before the whole wizarding world would know their names and their faces.
After that, the two officials went through their contract to make sure they knew what awaited them.
When Minho could finally get out of that suffocating room, a painful headache was pulsing behind his temples. Soyeon stayed behind with Madam Maxime while Soobin accompanied him.
“I should go write the letter right now if I want my parents to get it in time.” The Durmstrang said, waving him goodbye when their path separated.
Seeing as they resided on their huge magical boat for the time being, the gryffindor figured it was located somewhere on the Black Lake. With a soft sigh, he decided to take the example of the other champion and turned around to go to the library.
Minho was about to round a corner when a voice called out his name, and when he turned around, a distressed Felix barreled into him.
“Minho-hyung! I don’t understand- You said you wouldn’t participate in the Tournament!” The Hufflepuff was a little frantic.
He didn’t know what to say. For the first time in years, he was at loss for words. The rest of his group caught up to them and stood there, waiting for an answer. He knew nothing he could say would explain his action.
So he pulled Felix into a hug.
“Hyung won’t die. I promise.” He whispered, leaning his chin against the muggleborn’s temple.
Hugs weren’t something he did often since they hadn’t been very well perceived throughout his education, at least in front of other people. It was something that had hurt the Hufflepuff during the start of their friendship. The younger one was so in touch with his emotions, so at ease with the need to give or ask for comfort that Minho had very slowly made it a Felix only thing. Changbin and Hyunjin had fallen into that same sweet trap. Luckily for them, it rarely happened in public.
The memory of their first hug bubbled to the front of his mind. Felix had burst into tears after a long day of making mistakes and not understanding the logic of a world he had just discovered, whereas the majority of the other students had grown in it. At first, Minho had just extended his handkerchief, explaining he and the others would help him understand their world better.
“I’m so tired, hyung…” The Hufflepuff had whined, heavy tears dribbling down his chin. “I keep making mistakes and the others are being mean about it."
Minho had sighed at the sight of those tears and had stepped closer to gently wipe them off with his handkerchief.
“I hear you, and I understand.” He had said while gently dabbing his cheeks. “We will help you, Felix. It might be a lot to learn at first but we’ll go slow.”
Felix had sniffled before he took a small step forward to lean against the gryffindor. Minho remembered growing tense at the feeling of two arms wrapping around his torso while hands grabbed onto his robes tightly, wondering what he was supposed to do in a situation like this. So, he had mirrored the gesture and had wrapped his arms around the younger wizard’s shoulders, worried about whether his grip was too tight or not tight enough.
“Minho-hyung, what made you change your mind?” Changbin asked, stepping closer with confusion painted all over his face. “It isn’t like you to go back on your words, and you are way too stubborn to change your opinions so quickly. What happened?”
The older gryffindor didn’t know what to tell them. To be honest, he had kept his little infatuation with Chan a secret from them. Many reasons had motivated that decision.
Firstly, he didn’t know the slytherin properly. He didn’t know the way Chan thought or what his political opinions were, seeing how divided the wizarding world was with a Dark Lord causing chaos. Like everyone, he knew the exterior: the cold politeness to keep others at arm-length, the sheer aura of power surrounding him when he had to whip out his wand for a duel in DADA, the confidence his voice held when answering questions in class, and that cold glare he gave when he didn’t agree with either words or actions.
However, as much as he would love to be in denial, he didn’t know who Bahng Chan really was deep inside. So he had decided to remain silent in order to avoid becoming a bad example for the younger ones.
Secondly, their House rivalry, as much as Seungmin had proved them wrong, was still very virulent. The pureblood slytherins took malicious pleasure in bullying hufflepuffs, half-bloods and above all, muggleborns. Without knowing where Chan stood in all that, how could Minho act upon his feelings when he had his arms full of Felix, himself a muggleborn who had been hurt enough for something he couldn’t even control.
Thirdly, those feelings felt too intimate to be shared on a whim. He didn’t want to suffer under Changbin’s and Jisung’s endless teasing. He had seen how they had acted when Hyunjin had mentioned he found a ravenclaw cute. It resulted in loud words whenever Yang Jeongin, the ravenclaw in question, passed by them in the corridors. Shoves, obvious pokes and even forced proximity when it had really been unnecessary.
He loved his friends and knew they only wanted for Hyunjin to find his happy ending, but Minho wanted to go at his own pace. He wanted his every actions to be decided on his own, not forced by outsiders when he was the one feeling things. Plus, he would be mortified if Chan ended up feeling uncomfortable at the mere sight of him just because his friends were relentless in bringing them in front of each other.
He trusted them and they were dear to his heart, but for now, he will choose privacy.
“I don’t know, Changbin-ah.” Minho answered, looking over Felix’s head. “I suppose I felt the need to prove myself. You know how much I end up thinking at night.”
Hyunjin stepped forward, his forehead creased in worry.
“What are you going to do about your parents, hyung? You really can’t get out of the Tournament?”
Remembering the Ministry official’s words, Minho shook his head.
“The only way to break the contract is to die in the Tournament.”
“Yeah, that’s not an option.” Seungmin huffed, crossing his arms. “Our only choice is to help you. Despite how dangerous the tasks are certain to be, we will find a way to give you all the tools possible to survive.”
At those words, Jisung grimaced.
“As much as I would love to trust those words of courage, Minho-hyung is the oldest in our group and nothing we are learning right now is something he doesn’t know already.”
Seungmin turned to the youngest gryffindor, glaring in both frustration and anger at being taken as a fool.
“I know that. Which is why I will ask an older and very talented student to help.”
Changbin, Hyunjin and Jisung looked surprised before they frowned.
“Do you really have such connections? Are you sure they will accept to help us?” Changbin asked.
Seungmin shrugged, glancing at Minho who was still trapped in Felix’s embrace.
“He might ask something out of Minho-hyung. He is someone who likes having favors to use, or simply material to blackmail others. He is a good guy, I promise.” He added when he saw them frown. “Circumstances led him to use that method, but he only blackmails the worst students.”
Changbin rubbed his eyes while Hyunjin pushed his hair back, both thinking. Jisung looked unsure and Felix finally stepped out of Minho’s arms.
“I think it would be best to get all the help we can.” The hufflepuff mumbled, wiping his wet cheeks. “Minho-hyung has nothing to hide, nor is he a bad person. So I think we should accept what Seungmin is offering.”
Honestly, Minho agreed. He wasn’t very concerned about owing a favor as long as it didn’t threaten his friends or his family. Since they had no other choices, the other gryffindors nodded, saying they would help with the favor if needed.
“Alright, hyung.” Seungmin said. “It would be best for you to meet him as soon as possible. Do you have some time now?”
The gryffindor hummed, nodding.
“I just want to go write a letter to inform my parents before they learn it from someone else. Tell him to meet me in the owlery. I think it will take me fifteen minutes at max.”
The slytherin nodded and swiftly turned around to get whoever he had in mind. Minho turned to the rest of the group, offering a small smile.
“You should all go back to the common room. I’ll take care of this and find you again at dinner.” He promised.
Both Changbin and Hyunjin squeezed his shoulders to show their support, since their education wouldn’t allow the same public display of affection the hufflepuff had shown. Jisung and Felix gave him side hugs, which Minho accepted with gentle pats on their backs.
He stood there, watching their retreating backs as they left him, before he turned around to resume his walk to the library.
The large room was always filled with silence and the quiet sounds of quills scratching against parchment. Madam Pince, the very strict librarian, held her authority with an iron fist. She was very protective of the restricted section and often managed to catch the few students stupid enough to try to cross those intricate gates.
Minho easily found an empty table since the excitement of the upcoming tournament pulled the students’ attention away from their studies. He retrieved his stationary from his bag and selected the quill he had specifically chosen to write letters. Since he was a pureblood, his letters needed to reflect all the elegance that followed his name through his cursive. Sharpened quills gave his writing a most satisfying curve.
What followed was a few minutes of staring at the blank page, trying to decipher how he wanted to announce the dreadful news. He had chosen a vintage paper with gold designs in each corner to frame his text.
Minho chewed on his bottom lip, a bad habit he had failed to lose since childhood that appeared whenever he felt unsure or worried. He took a deep breath, dipped the quill in his bottle full of red ink before he let the words appear on the page:
Dearest Mother and Father,
I hope you are doing well. I apologize in advance for the news this letter will bring you, seeing as it is the first one I write to you since the school year began.
It is with a heavy mind, and a lot of shame, that I inform you of my foolishness. Despite knowing your reticences about the Triwizard Tournament, despite knowing of the dangers that lurk in those tasks, I still found myself dropping my name in the Goblet of Fire.
A moment of weakness which will cost me to worry you greatly. I sincerely apologize.
I had assured you I wouldn’t participate, sadly, greed took over me. An intense desire to prove myself overwhelmed me late at night, along with more shameful feelings that I can’t bear telling you about yet. I suppose the sorting hat chose Gryffindor well for me given the circumstances.
Please, rest assured that I will make sure to get out of this event alive. I am your Heir, but above all, I am your son. I will return to you no matter what it takes.
I hope you will forgive my selfishness, but I wish for you to be present for each of the tasks. Will you be there?
With a heavy heart,
-Lee Minho
Minho stopped there or he would write three more pages. His parents were dear to his heart and he will never be afraid to express it. Considering the scares he was going to put them through, it was the least he could do.
Next, he neatly folded the letter and slid it into a white envelope before he melted red wax. He always closed his letters with a wax seal adorning his name and crest thanks to a signet ring his mother had gifted him years prior. It always remained on his left index finger. Once cooled, he gathered his things and left for the owlery.
Situated at the top of the west tower, the journey was quite the workout. The draughty tower had glassless windows meant to facilitate the owls’ journeys. The floors were messy and could be horribly slippery in winter, when ice would cover the stone. If you ignored the owl droppings, vole skeletons, and regurgitated mouse. There were better places in the castle.
The chilly air of the evening greeted Minho’s hair, brushing off his neat hairstyle. He ignored the crushing sounds as he stepped over small bones and whatever else the owls liked to eat in order to find his own messenger.
Doongie was a grumpy Eurasian Eagle-Owl that liked to nip fingers to ask for treats. Thankfully, Minho always had a few of those from Eeylops in his bag.
The gryffindor spotted his owl further up to the right, resting on one of the many small perches installed there. When those yellow eyes spotted him, he lifted his left arm to invite Doongie over. The owl had always been gentle and cautious of its talons with him. They sunk in his robes and against his flesh, but just barely.
“I need you to get this letter to Mother and Father.” Minho mumbled gently, caressing the head full of soft feathers. “They should have returned to the Manor by now.”
The wizard carefully guided Doongie to rest on one of the windowsills in order to carefully attach his mail to the owl’s leg. He then offered a treat before sending his messenger on his way.
Minho stood there, watching as Doognie became smaller and smaller. He wondered how his parents would react: would his mother clutch her chest and cry her worry away? Would his father clench his teeth so hard they would crack? He didn’t have time to think more when someone cleared their throat behind him.
Right, Seungmin did say he would send over his mysterious helper.
“I apologize for not spotting you sooner.” Minho said while turning around. “My mind was on something else-”
His breath caught in his throat when he took in who was standing there, leaning against the doorframe of the only entrance of the owlery. Blonde hair, sharp eyes and curved lips.
Bahng Chan.
They stood there, staring at each other. The gryffindor didn’t know what to say or how to act seeing as he wasn’t mentally prepared to talk to his very much secret crush. The slytherin, on the other hand, seemed to use the opportunity to look him over.
“I must say I was surprised to hear your name come out of the Goblet.” That silky, but slightly deep voice addressed him.
Bahng Chan was currently talking to him! Directly!
Now wasn’t the moment to look like a fool. He had to answer. Surely, having a conversation couldn’t be so hard, right?
“I suppose you weren’t the only one.” Minho replied in a huff, immediately feeling ridiculous when he tried to act natural. Nothing felt natural in this interaction! “All of Hogwarts thought it would fall on you.”
Something passed through those dark eyes, but it was too quick for the gryffindor to really analyze what it had been.
“Did you think that as well?” Chan’s tone was strange.
Tilting his head, Minho really thought about it. Everyone around him had settled on Chan as the Hogwarts’ champion, but did he personally? Of course not. Who would want to see the person they fancied narrowly avoid death in a foolish tournament? No one in their right mind would want to see their crush fighting for their life in an arena.
Was he really allowed to think like that when he was now part of that said foolish tournament? Probably not.
“Not really, no.” Minho answered.
The slytherin stared into his eyes for a moment, seemingly trying to find a lie in them. When he found none, his dark eyes seemed to get a little lighter.
“Seungmin told me you could use some help. I am guessing you are not seeking school friendly spells only?”
“To be honest, since I have no idea of what the tasks will imply, I think it would be best for me to learn a wider range of spells.” Minho hummed before he looked up. “Seungmin mentioned you would want favors in exchange for helping me. Should we talk about that first?”
Another flash passed through those eyes and a smirk adorned Chan’s lips, giving him a rather devilish slytherin look. Green suited him well. If the slytherin was skilled in legilimency, Minho will dig his own grave and bury himself into the soil. His thoughts were embarrassing.
“I see I am famous among the younger ones.” Amusement tainted Chan’s voice. “I haven’t decided what I would like from you yet. You are an interesting person. However, I admit I never foresaw you needing my help.”
The older wizard pushed himself off the doorframe and took a few steps closer, making Minho’s heart flutter in his ribcage like an owl stuck in a cage. His brain hadn’t fully processed the other’s presence and his future involvement in his life yet.
“Since the tournament will last a whole year, only one favor seems too small of a prize to me. Don’t you agree, Lee?”
Bahng Chan said his name… Of course he’d say yes.
“I agree.” Minho said, his voice calm despite the excitement he was currently feeling.
More favors meant more chances to see his crush.
Chan hummed slowly, seemingly satisfied with his lack of protest.
“Then, I suggest one favor for each month in which I will help you out. Your first task is next month, in November. The second one will be in February, and the last one in June. However, there are all the months in between. So, eight favors in total.”
The slytherin stepped even closer, towering over Minho in a way that could have made his knees buckle in other circumstances.
“That is my price, Lee Minho.” Chan said, his eyes enrapturing the gryffindor along with his low voice. “Do you accept or decline?”
Minho swallowed nervously, desperately hoping the older couldn’t see how flustered he currently was because of their proximity. His lips looked so soft…
Clearing his throat in an attempt to compose himself, the gryffindor extended a hand.
“As long as your favors do not disregard my future heritage, I accept.” Minho said before specifying. “It isn’t that I assume you have bad intentions, nor am I saying wealth is all you are seeking. I am simply protecting my family’s assets, and I do not wish to be indebted in the future.”
Another flash went through Chan’s eyes, making them a little lighter again. Just a tiny bit less guarded.
The slytherin’s warm, strong hand took hold of his own for a firm shake.
“Then, it’s settled. I suppose you know of the Room of Requirements?” Indeed, Minho did know about it. “I will train you there. As for when, I will slip you a note a few days in advance since we both have tight schedules.”
Indeed, the gryffindor had his O.W.L. exams this year along with the subjects he had chosen in his third year: Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes.
The slytherin was in his N.E.W.T. year, which meant advanced classes which Minho obviously knew about. Chan had chosen Advanced Potions, Herbology, and Alchemy. The rumor floated around the corridors that Bahng Chan wanted to become a Potion Master, a profession that many found below his abilities.
Honestly, it was a very rewarding and complex path. In order to become a Potion Master, the slytherin would need good grades in potions, which was already a tricky class, but later on, he would need to be recognized by the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers. That organisation was incredibly selective and only enrolled highly-talented potioneers.
Even the description alone sounded intimidating.
Honestly, Minho didn’t know why people always needed to voice their opinions about others’ matters. If that was what the slytherin wanted to do, then so be it.
“Alright, that works for me. Thank you for giving me your time when I am certain you have more important things to do…”
The corner of Chan’s lips lifted just slightly while he pulled his hand back from the handshake.
“While I indeed do, I suppose teaching you will give me a bit of entertainment along with the tournament. However, I expect you to be diligent during our lessons. Repeating myself is something I despise doing.”
“I will be your best student.” Minho said earnestly, his desire to impress the slytherin breaking through.
The older student remained silent for a few minutes. How was he supposed to act in those moments?! Should he just stare back at him? Wouldn’t that be weird?
His magic, to answer the whirl of emotions present in his chest, sparked across his skin in iridescent ripples. Upon noticing that, Minho took a step back. That made Chan frown, so the gryffindor hurriedly explained.
“My magic can be a little complicated to contain sometimes. I didn’t step back because of you, but rather because I do not want to harm you by accident if you were to touch me.”
Chan’s eyes flickered down to the manifestation of magic, before they flickered up with a newfound emotion. Something dark. Nothing that would harm Minho, but his condition definitely sparked the slytherin’s interest.
“Interesting…” And with that, Minho was left alone in the owlery.
He waited five more minutes to finally let himself crumble to the floor. A very hot and red blush overtook his features and he felt grateful for the glassless windows seeing as the cool air felt nice on his flushed skin.
Only a few minutes of talking rendered him like this. How in Merlin’s name was he supposed to handle perhaps one or two hours of proximity while the slytherin taught him new spells?
Minho whined while he covered his face with his hands, silently gushing about how handsome Chan looked up close. Those wide shoulders gave strength to his silhouette, and as he had thought earlier, emerald green suited him well. It gave him this noble appearance that Minho absolutely loved.
He would die to see the slytherin wear perfectly tailored robes, both emerald and silver. He had no doubt he would look majestic in them.
With a sigh, he let his hands fall from his face to look up at the ceiling. Many owls were looking down at him from their perches with round, curious eyes. The gryffindor huffed before he ruffled his hair in a vain, tentative way to compose himself.
“Come on, Lee Minho. It is just a crush…” He mumbled quietly.
All he had to do was to hide it. Simple enough, right?
… He was doomed.