Chapter Text
Things were never meant to go his way, Jisung thought as he stared at his potions’ assignment, the F he got staring back at him. He should have done something the moment he entered sixth year and his potion’s marks had just started dropping but it had already been three months and if he wanted to pass his NEWTs, next year, he should ask for some help. A Slytherin failing the subject of his Head professor? Yeah, that would go horribly...
He glanced around noting his friends’ papers while making a good job at hiding his own. He really was the only Slytherin doing badly at this...
Seungmin seemed unfazed, naturally, he was used to acing any and every class he attended. Felix’s eyes, on the other hand, lit up. The freckled boy was a new addition to the Jisung-Seungmin duo and had worked hard to catch up with them. His previous group of friends wasn’t one to bother with classes and haven’t even made it to Potions that year. After all Gryffindor and Slytherin purebloods weren’t ones to worry about their future careers. Everything had been given to them from the moment they were born.
Jisung sighed and quickly hid his failure of an assignment in his bag, hoping no one would notice his distress. The professor had been easy on him so far, knowing Jisung shouldn’t even be in the class since he had barely passed its O.W.L. examination but Jisung knew it wouldn’t be long till he’d ask for an explanation.
He was woken up from his thoughts with a nudge and turned around to meet the gaze of a worried Felix.
“Um Ji, is your potion okay? Is it supposed to be like that?”
“Shit.”
---
“Hey Ji cheer up, it ain’t that bad... Filch once made me clean a whole floor for stepping on his dumb cat. At least you’re not getting detention.” Felix said, touching Jisung’s shoulder lightly, Seungmin standing on his other side and nodding.
“It wasn’t even my fault, guys.” Jisung said before Seungmin cut him off.
“Well who’s to blame for your Laughing Potion blowing up and messing the whole lab? It’s not like prof didn’t warn us at least thrice...”
Jisung looked away. Sometimes he couldn’t keep up with his friend’s absolute honesty.
“I’m going to meet you at the Great Hall, I need to clean myself up first”
His friends didn’t mind his outright lying -in a world of magic it wasn’t hard getting rid of damage- and both nodded. Jisung was a bit too hot-headed and a mess to admit defeat but sometimes he seemed like he needed some time alone. He nodded gratefully and headed for the stairs leading down to Slytherin’s dorms.
---
“Jeonginnieee!” Jisung shouted, trying to catch the attention of the younger who was about to enter the Great Hall. Thankfully the boy had heard his cries and had turned around with a bright smile waving for him to come over.
“How are you Sungie?” It was always a blessing, talking to this kid, Jisung thought as he approached.
“Stuff could be better”, he noted, “no, everyone at home is okay”, he added, noticing the younger’s face fall, “just... my Potions are a mess”, he tugged lightly at his hair.
It felt a bit childish admitting that but it bothered him plenty and he didn’t want to ask his roommates' help since well... it wasn’t like they knew about his slip up there.
Jeongin offered him a smile.
“I’m sure it’s not something you can’t do Sungie. Just because you’re not acing it doesn’t mean you’re doing bad.”
Jisung shook his head.
“No Innie I’m literally failing, I’ll have to find help but...”, he bit his lip, he was ranting a tad too much but Jeongin was a great listener and his eyes urged him to continue... That boy really had his own charm, maybe that was why Chan looked after him that much.
“Well”, he scratched the back of his head, “I can’t turn to someone for help, I’m a Slytherin... potions, they’re supposed to be my thing.”
Jeongin had the audacity to smile... he was more like a little devil after all, Jisung thought. He stared at the younger, not attempting to hide his irritation.
“So, I take it you’re asking me because you want me to find you some help?”
Jisung nodded, “If you don’t mind.”
He had concluded it was the best possible option since Jeongin knew plenty of people and most importantly, was close to Chan... and Chan, Chan was close to everyone.
“Sure Sungie, I’m sure I’ll find someone.”
Jeongin turned around waving back at the older boy, most likely to attend his scheduled class.
“I’ll tell Jinnie you’re sending your most lovely regards, I’m sure you miss him plenty.”
Jisung smirked.
“Tell your Jinnie to shove a broomstick up his-”, his words were cut off as the bell for the next period rang.
---
Being a sixth year certainly had its advantages, Jisung thought as he sat on the Slytherin table, next to Seungmin, Felix waving at him from across. The three of them had decided to drop out of Astronomy as it wasn’t likely to help them in their career paths so they had an hour and a half of free time... or... barely enough time to catch up with their numerous assignments, he dreaded as he placed his bag under his feet.
“Hey mate, what are you up to? Certainly took your time.”
“Knowing Jisung, he most likely chatted up all portraits he passed by.” Seungmin answered -before Jisung was able to speak- and passed a neat light-blue envelope to his friend. “Mail came while you were away and Doraemon looked too tired to wait for your sorry ass.”
“If you wanna know, I found Jeongin walking to the Hall and decided to do some catching up with him. Sorry for delaying from enriching you with my presence.” Jisung retorted, snatching the envelope away and digging for the fries placed in front of him.
“He sends his-” he continued while munching, “-regards by the way-” he hadn’t realized how hungry he was, “-I-” he started coughing violently. Eating while talking hadn’t been a good idea after all.
Seungmin saved him for suffocating by clapping his back, a bit harder than needed. Jisung decided he preferred it to shameful-death-by-potato.
“Try to make it till next week maybe? We’ve got Quidditch tryouts and newbies would want to meet their vice-captain and seeker.”
“You picked him for vice-captain?” Felix lifted his brow in question, “I’d think you’d wanna train some younger one to take your position when we graduate.”
Jisung nodded along. He wasn’t particularly interested in any captain position as it would only mean more responsibilities and worries. His hand reached for the letter he had placed on his knees, too hesitant to look what’s inside, scared it wouldn’t be pleasant... What were the chances of her having woken up anyway...?
Seungmin sighed before turning to his friend for affirmation.
“I think it’s for the best.” He said. “If you think you can’t handle it, it’s okay. I’m aware that things are happening.” Jisung nodded slowly, most of the time his brunette friend knew what he was doing.
Seungmin smiled at his confirmation and stretched a bit before standing up. “Let’s talk about it later.” He looked between the two, his face clearly showing his annoyance of what was coming next. “Care to come with me to the infirmary?”
---
The infirmary was as clean and tidy as it had always been. Jisung looked around thinking of the various injuries he had sustained -mostly because of Quidditch- during his Hogwarts career and sighed, certain that his next stay would be soon enough, as the match with Ravenclaw was quickly approaching.
Waving aside his thoughts he followed his friends and waved at the upperclassman he’d come to know the best.
“Hi Yug-”
“Hey Yu”, Jisung and Felix’s greeting was -as usually- interrupted by a pissed Seungmin who had proceeded to dump three boxes of homemade biscuits on the bed in front of them. “Mum send me this with the mail and told me to give it to you, as if I’ve not gotten enough to do with my spare time. So just make me the...”
Jisung had long lost interest in the conversation between the Kim brothers and shifted his gaze towards the door where a boy around his age had entered. Strangely enough, the brunette looked in his direction intensely. As their gazes met, he lifted his eyebrow, as if teasing him, and smirked before walking off to a separated bunk.
Jisung stood confused torn between chasing after the familiar Ravenclaw whose name he couldn’t recall and asking for an explanation or...
Before he could inspect his options, his ears perked up as a very familiar voice sounded from the hidden bunk, answering to his friend mocking him about his broken hand.
Jisung’s gaze immediately turned to Yugyeom to get some insight and was greeted with a quite familiar scene.
Seungmin had long decided to attack Yugyeom who in turn hadn’t hesitated to pin his brother still by grabbing his shoulders and was now ruffling his hair laughing. Felix was as always watching things from a distance, having sat on a bunk and munching biscuits happily. Jisung smiled.
“Hey, Yugyeom”, his voice was lower in order to not be heard further away. “What’s Seo Changbin doing here?”
At the mention of the name Seungmin immediately let go of his brother, his captain mode switched on, his eyes distant and calculating. On the other hand, Felix’s posture changed as he choked on his cookie and started coughing violently, his cheeks flushing crimson.
“He’s just got some Quid injury. He’ll be okay and off the infirmary soon enough, he’s a regular after all.” Yugyeom seemed unfazed by the trio’s reactions, his attention reverted to a young kid who had entered with his robes smoking, probably from some spell gone wrong. He quickly waved bye to his brother and friends, returning to his post as the infirmary trainee.
___
The following days went by unceremoniously as the sixth years got trapped in an endless amount of homework and classes that barely gave them enough room to breathe.
Apart from Jeongin stopping Jisung to tell him he had reached out to Chan for help, the Slytherin didn’t have any news about his search for a potions’ tutor.
It was weird, to say the least, when the younger winked at him while passing by in the hallway some time later but Jisung was too hungry and tired to duel much on it.