Chapter Text
Chan Christopher Bahng, his government name, spent most of his childhood travelling through many different countries.
Born in South Korea, stayed in Australia until he was five and after that it was everywhere, all over Asia, right through Africa, from Greenland to Uruguay and finally winding through Europe before settling in England with his parents when he was ten.
When he joined primary school, Chan was only there for his final year. Somehow, through all of his travelling, it made him surprisingly smarter and much more well-versed compared to his peers. He could speak many different languages and had a wide range of knowledge towards everything.
Where he stood out the most was definitely in sport. There were other boys in his class who were in football teams and girls who went to athletic clubs, Chan never joined any clubs nor teams, yet he was just as good, if not better than all the other 'sporty' students. The boy was the fastest, the strongest, had the most stamina, scored the most goals and always came first in everything.
Despite this, his classmates didn't hate him, they all thought he was the coolest person ever. Chan could tell them hundreds of stories about his travels, he could speak words in every language they could think of. Plus, if he was on your team, you'd always win.
The boy was sad when school ended, he hadn't known his friends for long and he wanted to spend more time with them. Of course, some would be going to the same high school as him, but many others wouldn't and he believed it to be unfair that they couldn't all just stick together.
That was until a week later, 24th July 2009, when there was multiple soft knocks on the front door. Chan's mum was the one to open the door, a friendly-looking lady was stood in the doorway. It's not someone Chan recognised, the lady was definitely older than almost all of the people in his neighbourhood and there was a certain aura about her that made her seem special (maybe a better word would be unique, Chan wasn't sure).
His mum invited the lady in after she said something that he didn't quite catch. Both of them made their way into the living room and not even a minute after Chan's mum was calling for him and his dad to join her.
The young boy had no idea what to expect, why would this lady need to speak to all of them. When Chan sat across from her, right next to his mum, the lady gave him a small, soft smile and it was enough to calm his nerves.
"I'm Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If it would make you more comfortable you can call me Minerva." They lady, Minerva, introduced herself. She had addressed herself to Chan more than his parents.
There was a pause before Professor McGonagall spoke again, "Anyways, I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm here. This-" she held out a letter, "is for you Chan."
He took the letter from her cautiously, on one side he read his own name and address, until his eyes were drawn to the emblem in the corner.
'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry' Chan read the words over in his head, this is where Minerva works.
Wait. "Witchcraft and wizardry?"
"Yes, Mr Bang, you read it right. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." It was Minerva's voice again, and she sounded like she was fully serious, no hint of a joke at all in her voice.
"But.. Witchcraft and wizardry?" Chan thought to himself for a minute. "Witches and wizards, they don't exist, do they?"
He looks between his parents, who look more surprised than anything, then to Professor McGonagall, who still has that small smile on her face.
"Mr Bang, have you ever had something happen to or around you that you couldn't explain? It may even be something you've grown used to, like always being able to find whatever you're looking for or always seeming to be the lucky one. It could be a one-and-done event as well, like accidentally making something fly or making it disappear, or, much like myself, turning it into something different completely."
To most people, what Professor McGonagall just said would've confused them even more, however, Chan wasn't most people.
"I'm really good at sports, like too good at sports. I never miss a goal, I always come in first no matter how close I am to the person in second. Sometimes I feel like I run so fast I'm almost levitating." He admitted it shyly, not knowing how the others around him would take it.
"And do you believe that is completely mundane, Mr Bang?"
He knew Minerva was asking it almost rhetorically, yet he answered anyways.
"Of course not." His voice was still quiet with shock. "Not now that I think about it properly, and after what you said."
His parents looked like they were about to burst with excitement when he finally decided to actually open the letter and read if aloud.
"Dear Mr Bang,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.
Yours sincerely,
Filius Flitwick
Deputy Headmaster"
Chan couldn't help the smile that made its way to his face, he could feel the way the air changed. The way his entire world was about to be flipped upside-down.
Minerva's voice pierced through the atmosphere, "I'm sure you understand that an owl will not be needed, as long as you confirm that you want to come to Hogwarts to me then all will be fine. It's common procedure for a professor to hand deliver a muggleborn's acceptance letter. Muggles being non-magic people."
The young boy looked to both his parents, he knew the looks on their faces, the smiles and accepting eyes. "If you would let me, then I would love to go to Hogwarts in September."
For the rest of the day, the conversation continued onwards, McGonagall explained all about Diagon Alley and what Chan would have to do as a muggleborn. She explained that although Chan would be able to purchase a wand, he wouldn't be allowed to use it until he was at Hogwarts. Finally, she explained how Chan would get to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express on platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.
*
The Hogwarts Express was different to how Chan had imagined it, a much more old-fashioned steam train. Never mind the age of the train, it looked as if it had been built yesterday, brand new.
Leaving his parents behind wasn't his favourite thing to do, but they were happy for him. His parents thought it was the coolest thing ever that Chan was a wizard and he'd be going to a school where he would learn magic. Both of them read A History of Magic alongside him, curious to know more about this new world they had been presented.
Upon the train, Chan found himself in a compartment with a young boy who he thought to be the same age as him. What made him intrigued the most was probably the boy's bright blue hair, just below that was his bright, welcoming smile as he introduced himself as Teddy Lupin.
Teddy went on to be Chan's closest friend throughout his first and second year. He was there when Chan was sorted into Slytherin and Teddy himself was sorted into Hufflepuff. They had many classes together, they would spend their free time together. Teddy was there when Chan joined the Slytherin quidditch team as a first year and made sure to go to every match, Chan was there when Teddy got in trouble for the first time, and the next, and the time after that too.
In Chan's third year, a new Slytherin joined the quidditch team, a second year Chan knew briefly from seeing him in the common room. Minho never meant to take Teddy's place as Chan's closest friend but it was inevitable, Chan was drawn to Minho like a moth to a flame and nothing could prevent that.
The older boy easily became friends with everyone, yet his closest friends were easily a few boys he had met through quidditch. Hyunjin became the Gryffindor seeker the same year Minho joined the Slytherin team, he didn't trust many people so when he told Chan that the other made him feel safe it almost brought him to tears.
In his fifth year, Chan befriended the youngest member of the Ravenclaw quidditch team, sneakiest seeker he'd ever met, Jeongin Yang. The younger boy was just too adorable to resist and it definitely didn't push Chan away that he had an eye for the best quidditch techniques.
So with that, Chan made it through his fifth year passing his O.W.L. exams with flying colours. His sixth year was much the same, focus on quidditch, get schoolwork done and spend time with Minho, Hyunjin and Jeongin.
Which leads us to his seventh and final year, the present. All he had to do this year was pass his N.E.W.T. exams and remain focused on quidditch, so that by the end of the year he would be able to take his place as chaser for The Montrose Magpies, a place he'd been offered at the end of his fifth year.
All he had to do was make it through this year.