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Year One
Jungkook told himself he would not cry.
He most definitely will not - he was a big boy now; a whole two digits to his age! He can be brave! The professor called his name, and he walked up to the Sorting Hat, trying not to shake.
Why did the stool look so daunting?
As the brim of the Hat blocked his view, he told himself that it was okay, that he would soon be seated at Gryffindor with his brother, that there was nothing to be worried about-
"RAVENCLAW!" the Hat bellowed, and Jungkook felt his heart sink into the depths of his stomach. The world came back into view amidst cheers and claps, and Jungkook mechanically moved off the stool to head to his house table.
('Ravenclaw?' he wondered. Why was he in Ravenclaw? He was not particularly studious, even if he was a curious soul... though he mostly wanted to be with his brother.)
When he saw Seokjin's concerned eyes taking him in from the Gryffindor table, Jungkook's eyes burned.
By the time he was seated among his new house mates, he was crying.
Year Two
Being in Ravenclaw was not too bad, Jungkook could admit. He was mostly left to his own devices, and the seniors were always helpful when he had questions to ask.
Seokjin, after fussing over his baby brother the day after Sorting (to Jungkook's eternal embarrassment), had introduced him to his friends. True to the elder's lack of care for things like house rivalries and sticking to age groups, his friend group was huge and spanned across houses - but only five seemed to really be his friends.
There was Yoongi - Slytherin in the same year as Seokjin - whose play as a Seeker was far more athletic, agile, and aggressive than his lethargic self on the daily. Jungkook kind-of idolized him. Two years below the Seeker in the same house was Jimin, whose angelic appearance bellied a cunning streak none expected - warm and friendly and kind to those he treasured but cold and ruthless to those he deemed unworthy of his time.
In Hufflepuff, there was Taehyung - Yoongi's cousin and year mates with Jimin - and Hoseok, who was a year ahead of his house mate. They were loud and overwhelming in the beginning, but Jungkook had found he adored their laughter and energy and how they always knew how to make all of them laugh and feel better.
In the same year as Hoseok and house as Seokjin was Namjoon, whose dimpled smile often had Jimin coo and poke at his cheeks, and was one of the smartest people Jungkook knew. His patience with their friend group was legendary, with how quickly off-tangent their study groups could go. Jungkook appreciated how Namjoon would always think of ways and means to simplify explaining material he could not comprehend immediately.
Having them as friends was great; amazing even. He learned so much from them, picking up many things he probably would not learn from class.
In class...
In class, he was alone - shyness translating into a hesitance in approaching people and making friends from his own year.
And in the relative safety of his dorm, hidden behind curtains, Jungkook cried.
Year Three
Teenagers were the worst.
A teenager himself, Jungkook was well-aware of the irony of his thoughts.
The start of third year marked the start of some bullying - but it was simply an inconvenience to him that was easily ignored; he made no mention of it to anyone, though he was certain the Slytherin pair in their little group of seven were not convinced every time he said he was fine.
His lack of reaction finally took a toll on the bullies' patience one day, and they cornered him in an empty hallway between classes. It truly was childish - they drenched him with the Aguamenti spell, tore up his assignments (Jungkook's heart broke a little at that - Yoongi and Namjoon both spent quite a bit of time helping him correct a Potions assignment), and called him things he knew his friend group would lash out at, no matter who it was directed to.
Despite Jungkook telling himself to not react, to not give the bullies what they want, he could feel the pinprick of tears behind his eyelids...
And suddenly the mocking and jeering stopped.
Jungkook looked up, and in front of him he saw someones he recalled being called BamBam and DK, yelling at the bullies. Yugyeom was beside him, offering him a handkerchief to dry his face with a gentle smile, while Mingyu knelt down before his things, collecting them and drying them off with a spell.
They were all from different houses, but they were ruthless in marching the bullies into the closest professor's classroom and making them admit their wrongs.
And though Jungkook's tears were flowing, he could not help but smile.
Year Four
Knowing Seokjin and Yoongi were graduating that year was a downer every time it came up in conversation. Acknowledging it never failed to cause a lump to form in Jungkook's throat.
He thought he held himself together well enough.
That thought was promptly thrown into the trash when they watched the two eldest of their group receive their scrolls.
His tears made them flustered, and they both nearly tripped over themselves in assuring him graduation did not mean goodbye - funny in hindsight, especially considering Seokjin was his brother. Just as they thought they calmed the situation, the graduating duo saw an equally-teary Hoseok, misty-eyed Jimin and Taehyung, and a sadly-smiling Namjoon.
The whole scenario repeated itself before the Hufflepuff duo initiated the greatest group hug Jungkook had ever been in. Yoongi was grumbling, but his hand being a reassuring presence on Jungkook's shoulder told a different story entirely.
Year Five
Hoseok and Namjoom receiving their scrolls made Jungkook's list of 'hardest things he ever had to do', right below watching Seokjin and Yoongi receive theirs.
Namjoon had gave him a hug - a rare one the dimpled man initiated himself - and assured Jungkook that he would write him loads, and Hoseok tearfully asked him to not cry with a bone-crushing hug.
Jungkook held it in long enough to watch them depart on the Hogwarts Express for the last time. Jimin and Taehyung were beside him, declaring a sleepover before they left school and cramming themselves in Jungkook's bed with him.
They made no mention of his tears the next morning, for which he was grateful.
Year Six
Watching his friends graduate made Jungkook immensely proud - but also extremely sad.
Jimin and Taehyung's graduation went third on his list of hardest things he had to do.
There were tears all round, the pair promising to write him and coming to all his games in between sniffles and hugs and borderline bawling. Knowing his older brothers were a letter away eased it somewhat, but that same fact solidified the hard pill of 'they are not here'.
Jungkook thought he was brave in not crying the moment Hogwarts Express carried his friends away from school for the last time.
In the safety of his dorm, however, he let the tears flow.
Year Seven
He made it.
Despite his own fears and odds against him, he stood proud at his own graduation. He knew he made himself proud by managing to be in the top percentile of his year, and with the Best Quidditch Captain trophy in his hands.
His friends - the same ones who helped him all the way back in Year Three, surrounded him, and Jungkook thought there would be no tears. They were all laughing, cheering, and hooting, making plans to meet up and celebrate after familial celebrations.
Then he heard his name being called multiple times by six familiar voices, and though he knew they were coming - made them promise to come even - his eyes still widened when he saw them.
Jimin, with glasses and a beret that made him look younger despite his aim of looking more mature. Taehyung, with his adorably boxy grin. Namjoon, with his sweet, dimpled smile. Hoseok, with his lips pulled into a wide, heart-shaped grin. Yoongi, with a restrained yet genuinely proud smile. Seokjin, with a smile as warm as his heart.
Jungkook felt his eyes water despite the grin stretching across his lips, and the more enthusiastic ones rushed at him to envelope him in warm hugs. The slower ones completed the group hug, and Jungkook never felt more loved in his life.
"Happy Graduation, our crybaby!"