Chapter Text
“You got Head Boy?” Wooyoung screamed, the sound far too piercing for the cramped train compartment.
Seonghwa winced in pain, rubbing at his ears, but couldn’t stop the grin from spreading on his face. “I did!” He held the polished badge up proudly. Head Boy was only given to the top two students in the seventh year at Hogwarts; while there was no official ranking, the faculty would decide unanimously on two students to bestow the honor upon, based on academic performance, extracurriculars, and general behavior. It was an extremely prestigious award, one that Seonghwa’s parents had been all too eager to brag about to their social circle.
The Slytherin could hardly believe it himself. All his hard work in class and as Quidditch Captain had finally paid off, and he really couldn’t be happier.
He did wonder who the other Head was, though.
“We’re so proud of you!” San ambushed him with a hug, squishing the elder up against the window. “I knew you could do it!”
Wooyoung laughed at Seonghwa’s flattened form, making no move to rescue him from his newfound predicament. “As soon as Hogsmeade visits start again, we’ll treat you to butterbeer and anything you want from Honeydukes,” he promised, flicking his lilac hair away from his face. They’d all dyed their hair together over summer: Wooyoung had light purple, San’s hair was bright pink, and Seonghwa had opted for a light grey.
“Sweets!” San perked up at the thought, releasing Seonghwa from his death grip.
“I’m not buying you sweets! What have you done that’s impressive, hmm?” Wooyoung demanded.
San let out a small hmph. “For your information,” he began snarkily, but the trio was interrupted by the door to their compartment opening.
“Aha! I told you I’d find them on the first try,” came a triumphant voice. Seonghwa stiffened. He knew that voice. It could only belong to one person–
None other than the bane of his existence, Kim Hongjoong.
In he sauntered, with a head full of cherry-red hair that clashed horribly with his red Gryffindor robes, a nasty smirk on his face. Jeong Yunho, Hongjoong’s best friend (also a Gryffindor), loitered outside uncertainly. Hongjoong stopped in front of Seonghwa, blinking in confusion. “Oh, you dyed your hair.”
“What’s it to you?” Seonghwa bit out. The sooner this was over with, the better.
He should’ve known responding would only provoke the redhead more. “It looks great, ” Hongjoong practically purred. “I can imagine the headlines in the Daily Prophet tomorrow: ‘Slytherin’s Wonder Boy, aged 50 years from the stress of being too perfect’!”
Seonghwa scowled at him, fighting the urge to touch his hair self-consciously. “If being perfect is stressful, then it’s no wonder you don’t have any greys.”
“If I weren’t perfect, would I have this?” Hongjoong shoved something shiny into Seonghwa’s face, making the elder flinch reflexively. He ignored the Gryffindor’s peal of laughter at his expense and squinted at the object.
No. If it were possible, Seonghwa’s heart would literally have dropped out of his ass. Unfortunately, it kept beating, which meant he had to continue living in this awful, awful reality.
“You’re Head Boy too?!”
***
It had all started their first year at Hogwarts.
More than a decade had passed since the Battle of Hogwarts, and while there had been hesitation on behalf of all, the four Houses had mended fences and inter-House friendships were becoming increasingly common. Most notably between Slytherin and Gryffindor, which despite their long and turbulent history had, for the most part, transformed into a friendly rivals.
Seonghwa had been raised as a pureblood since birth – his family was old, but they had never taken Voldemort’s side, choosing to raise their heirs with the idea that, magic or not, all humans deserve respect and empathy. Young Seonghwa had taken these words to heart, and had never forgotten them.
However, it was difficult to remember this when it came to Kim Hongjoong.
Eleven-year-old Seonghwa had been wandering the Hogwarts Express, searching for Wooyoung and Yeosang, when he accidentally bumped into another boy. Quite literally – the force of it sent them both crashing to the ground. “Oh, I’m so–”
“Watch where you’re going!” The other boy had yelled, rubbing his shoulder and glaring at Seonghwa. It was one of those glances he’d seen his whole life from other old pureblood families: one of distrust and suspicious hatred.
He did what he thought was right – he glared back. “I didn’t mean to run into you,” he spat. “As if I’d want to touch someone as prickly as you on purpose.”
The other boy’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell does that mean? What, because I’m Muggleborn you think you’re better than me? Screw you!” The boy grabbed his luggage and ran off, disappearing down the hall faster than Seonghwa could react.
Well. That hadn't gone to plan. He decided not to dwell on it and found his friends easily after that, the three of them sharing sweets and chatting excitedly about Hogwarts.
The first time he saw the castle was just as majestic as he imagined it would. The lake had been lit with floating lanterns for the first-years, the castle lit from within by soft golden light. The ceiling of the Great Hall was enchanted, just as his parents had said – it was a beautiful clear night, and the stars seemed to smile down at him.
Oh, if only that were true.
“Jung Wooyoung!” Professor Jung called, and Wooyoung stepped up to the Sorting Hat with a nervous grin. The Potions professor looked stern and commanding, but gave each first-year a smile and a high-five regardless of their House. Seonghwa liked her already.
The Hat barely touched Wooyoung when it cried out “Slytherin!” All the tables cheered and clapped loudly, but there were piercing whistles and whoops from the Slytherin table. Wooyoung would fit right in, Seonghwa thought.
A few more students got Sorted, and then it was Yeosang’s turn. The blond sat on the stool for nearly five minutes, his face screwed up like he was arguing with the Hat. Finally, it yelled out “Ravenclaw!”
Seonghwa cheered, but stopped when he saw Yeosang’s expression, like he was trying not to cry as he looked towards the Slytherin table. Seonghwa’s heart clenched in sympathy; while the three of them were extremely close since they first met at age seven, Wooyoung and Yeosang had practically been raised together. Their families had always taken vacations together, and Seonghwa was sure the longest the two had ever gone without seeing one another was at most a week. They’d all expected to be in the same House, but instead Yeosang was seated halfway across the Great Hall.
Seonghwa was distracted by Professor Jung calling out the next name. “Kim Hongjoong!” And who else should step up to the stool but the kid Seonghwa had accidentally bumped into.
Just like with Wooyoung, the Sorting Hat immediately screamed out “Gryffindor!” Internally, he grimaced. Merlin help him, he would not be in Gryffindor.
Finally, it was his turn. Seonghwa felt the knot inside his stomach tighten with nerves, loosening a little when Professor Jung offered him an encouraging smile. While the Parks were a pureblood family, his mother was a Slytherin and his father was a Ravenclaw, but his older brother had been a Hufflepuff.
Just not Gryffindor, he pleaded silently. Anything but Gryffindor.
“Hmm,” the Hat said. “You know, a young boy with a lightning scar once said something like that to me about Slytherin. Interesting indeed.”
Please, Seonghwa thought harder. Please please please. And then, Harry Potter???
“Don’t worry, dear boy, you don’t belong in Gryffindor,” the Hat seemed amused. “You have the bravery though; oh! I remember your brother. He was a true Hufflepuff through and through. Your loyalty knows no bounds, and you’re quite studious… but I think there’s only one House that will let you truly thrive here at Hogwarts. You belong in SLYTHERIN!”
Raucous cheers greeted him once the Hat was lifted off his head. Wooyoung was already on his feet, his loud screech echoing through the Great Hall. Professor Jung high-fived him with a grin. “Welcome to Slytherin,” she beamed, and sent him off to be seated.
The rest of the Sorting was a blur – honestly, Seonghwa could hardly focus on anything except the giddiness that he was finally Sorted. He was officially a Hogwarts student!
That night, he and Wooyoung had marveled at the Slytherin dorms together and slept soundly. Seonghwa had no clue of the chaos that was to come, when he would realize his first class held the menace that was Kim Hongjoong – Gryffindor, Muggleborn, and now sworn enemy of Park Seonghwa.
***
Hongjoong’s smug grin faded. “Wait, you’re the other Head Boy?”
“Oh, congratulations!” Yunho piped up, ignoring Hongjoong’s glare.
“Thanks,” Seonghwa smiled back. To Hongjoong, he replied, “Looks like we’re on equal ground here, so why don’t you watch how you speak to me? ”
Behind Hongjoong, San and Wooyoung guffawed, shoving chips into their mouths like they were watching a Muggle film. “You tell him, Seonghwa!” Wooyoung snickered.
Hongjoong recovered from his shock quickly. “Well, I hear Head Boy is a lot of responsibility. You sure you can handle it along with being Quidditch Captain and Captain of the Dueling Club?”
Seonghwa frowned. He’d only told Wooyoung, Yeosang, and San about his newfound Captainship of the Dueling Club. “How did you hear about that?”
Hongjoong scoffed. “Never you mind, Park. Anyway, I suppose I’ll be seeing you. Partner,” he sneered, exiting the compartment with a flourish.
“See you around!” Yunho waved. It sometimes surprised Seonghwa how nice the other Gryffindor was; he supposed it was nice to know that years of being exposed to Kim Hongjoong hadn’t corrupted the other.
“Man, Yeosang will be upset he missed that. I know he’s been itching to hex Hongjoong into next week for what happened last spring,” San smirked.
As if on cue, Yeosang popped into the compartment. “What did I miss?”
Seonghwa sat back and watched Wooyoung recount the scene with a fond smile, laughing at Yeosang’s indignant cries at the Gryffindor’s rudeness. It was boisterous and familiar, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
And yet, his mind dwelled on Kim Hongjoong, with his sneers and insults. Knowing he had a full year of working alongside the snarky redhead filled him with unease, and he shuddered at the horrid thought. Hopefully, fate (and his professors) would be merciful enough that he wouldn’t have any classes with the other.