Chapter Text
This was going to be the longest year of her life.
“I don’t get why you’re so upset when you chose to come in the first place.”
Yeseo pouts from her seat beside a teasingly grinning Chaehyun, “Because I wanted free, extra points in the final exam, Chae! Not because I wanted to be hours away from home in a dingy, old castle!” She whines, stomping her feet like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
“Oh, our poor baby is crying. Whatever shall we do? Should we get the pacifier?” Mocks Chaehyun as she squeezes Yeseo’s cheeks together, the girl only getting grumpier with the action. “Get off me!” Yeseo hisses, shoving Chaehyun off of her earning a grunt of pain from the girl.
“You two are seriously so loud.” Yujin rolls her eyes playfully as she approaches them, sitting down on the couch opposite to theirs. “It’s her fault!” Both Chaehyun and Yeseo exclaim simultaneously, pointing at each other and Yujin merely sighs, all too used to this.
It’s only then do Chaehyun and Yeseo notice the piece of parchment carefully folded in Yujin’s hand.
Yujin unfolds it just as carefully, eyes scanning whatever was written on the paper. When a giddy smile spreads across her face, Chaehyun and Yeseo immediately know who it is.
“Definitely her precious girlfriend.” Chaehyun scoffs, as Yujin’s head snaps up towards them at the words, “You’re just mad you don’t have one.” She retorts and Chaehyun raises her arms in defense, “You’d be surprised.” She teases, and Yujin merely rolls her eyes, finding it only a joke more than anything.
Yeseo looks at Chaehyun, raising an eyebrow, “What do you mean surprised? You don’t actually have one because you’re a coward, you know that, right?” She whispers and Chaehyun’s eyes widen for a short moment before it turns into a glare, “I will.” She then frowns slightly, “…eventually.”
She sighs showing her defeat, leaning back in her chair, “I just don’t want to hurt her.”
Yeseo thins her lips ever so slightly before nodding wordlessly in understanding. She then turns to the window of their beautiful, luxurious carriage with a contemplative look on her face. Love always seemed so complicated yet beautiful all the same.
Whether it be from Yujin and Xiaoting’s story which was surely the definition of rivals-to-lovers or Chaehyun and Dayeon’s story which was nearly the same thing, except the lovers part. They had gone through so much to be together, yet it was all worth it in the end.
Yeseo wondered if that was true. If she’d be able to prove that herself one day.
“We’re arriving soon!” Taeyeon’s voice calls, her voice echoing around the carriage’s walls, “Please get all of your luggage and bags ready for landing!”
Yeseo frowns. She hasn’t been apart from Beauxbatons in forever. The thought of spending so much time in what was basically a foreign land sounded terrifying. There’s a hand on her shoulder, and Yeseo looks up to meet the concerned eyes of one Choi Yujin.
Somebody she had always seen as her older sister, and one of her biggest supporters since what felt like forever.
“You okay, Yeseo?” She asks, eyebrows furrowed out of concern. Yeseo smiles weakly, hoping it comes off as genuine and joyful, “Of course,” Her smile then turns teasing, “I can see that somebody’s excited to see her girlfriend again.”
Yujin’s cheeks redden slightly at the mention of the only person who’s ever been able to make her so shy, so unlike the Choi Yujin Yeseo had grown used to, “Just wait until you fall in love.” She argues defensively, but the flustered expression on her face couldn’t be denied.
“I bet you’ll be different too. Love can make you change, you know?”
“Like some sort of metamorphosis. I know, unnie, you’ve said that a lot of times.” Yeseo mocks sarcastically, and Yujin only ruffles her hair earning whines about how much time she spent on it from the younger girl, “Have some school pride, brat. We need the butterflies to win this year.”
“As if you wouldn’t drop everything including winning the tournament to make sure Xiaoting unnie is safe.” Yeseo argues, and Yujin hums, “Can’t deny that.” She heaves a sigh, somewhat nervous now, “I just need to watch out for whoever the Hogwarts champion will be. Who knows how cunning or dangerous they can be…”
She smiles softly, “You’re right. I just need to keep both me and Ting safe.”
Yeseo wonders how it feels to love someone that much. To care so much that you would drop everything just to love them, to know them, to shield them. The concept of falling in love seemed like such a foreign concept to Yeseo that she didn’t even flinch when Yujin brought it up.
“Yeah, I am not going to enjoy this year. I don’t wanna deal with you two acting all lovey-dovey all year round.” Yeseo groans and Yujin snickers, “Don’t be such a pessimist. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find your own forever here.”
Yeseo scoffs, shaking her head, “In such a dingy, old-looking school with probably just as dingy, old-looking people? Absolutely not. Don’t even mention it again.” Yujin only laughs loudly, “Whatever you say, kid.” She looks out the window next to Yeseo, eyes suddenly widened.
“And there’s Hogwarts.” Yujin smiles excitedly, not really at the prospect of a new school but most likely at seeing her favorite person ever once again. She hums to herself as she grabs only one of her many suitcases, “Let’s get ready now.”
Yeseo watches them descend upon the creepy castle with a slow inhale.
As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the thought of something life-changing like love happening to her sounded absolutely incredible. She would never say it out loud though — the thought of both Yujin and Chaehyun teasing her made her want to bury her head in a hole ostrich-style for life.
When she feels the bottom of the carriage finally touch the ground, she takes one last deep breath before taking her own baggage and making her way to the exit door.
———
“Are they serious?” Yeseo grumbles watching as Yujin and Durmstrang’s little golden girl Shen Xiaoting are quick to intertwine hands and skip down the hallways with bright, mocking smiles on their faces. Meanwhile they were stuck on a tour with Hogwarts’s Head Girl who, frankly, looked just as ready to sleep as them.
And hey, as much as she was absolutely happy for Yujin and Xiaoting and adored the couple dearly, she also adored being an absolute hater.
“They did say they had a meeting with Taeyeon and Tiffany.” Chaehyun smiles amusedly, and Yeseo can only grumble once more, “You actually think they’re telling the truth?” Chaehyun can only shrug, “Top one student privileges, I’m afraid.” She laughs softly, before looking elsewhere, “Merlin, the poor girl looks drained. I’m gonna go cheer her up a bit.”
“But Chaeh—!” Yeseo was about to complain but Chaehyun was already far gone, quickly approaching Hogwarts’ Head Girl for a small, friendly chat.
She shuffled uncomfortably watching as Chaehyun loudly conversed with the overwhelmed yet happy Head Girl, as the extroverted girl can always seem to do so easily. She looked around the castle, which was already beginning to creep her out the further they explored.
“You okay?” Yeseo looks her side and is surprised to see Kim Dayeon looking at her worriedly for this is the first time she’s seen the girl since before the summer break. She can feel her heart warm. The older girls have always seen her as some sort of a little sister figure, after all. But Yeseo can only smile weakly. She won’t deny it — she doesn’t think she’s ready.
“We’re here for you, okay?” Dayeon comforts, uncharacteristically gentle as she wore a soft smile on her face. Yeseo is a bit shell-shocked for a few moments, for the Kim Dayeon in front of her is definitely not the loud and boisterous Kim Dayeon who Yeseo was, admittedly, extremely avoidant of the first few months she spent with her the year prior.
Then Dayeon’s eyes widen comically.
“Oh right! I need to ask about the Quidditch pitch for the nerd!” Loudly exclaims Dayeon, and suddenly Yeseo remembers just who she’s talking to. With an amused smile, Yeseo watches as Dayeon enthusiastically raises her hand, clearly begging for the Head Girl’s attention.
She can already see the Head Girl’s somewhat overwhelmed look as Dayeon and another Durmstrang student begin to argue right in front of her. It’s hilarious but as she realizes she’s alone once again, she exhales shakily. Looking over to some girls of her own year who were eagerly conversing, she suddenly felt all the more anxious, not-so-subtly shuffling away from them.
Then, she flinches out of surprise.
“She’s even prettier up close!” A foreign voice is heard squealing.
Yeseo’s eyebrows furrow at the words. The voice sounded strangely close, as if these voices were right behind her. Another voice hums in agreement, sounding as if she’s (at least, Yeseo assumes they’re girls) talking in response to the first voice, “I didn’t think anyone could pull off orange hair, but there she is!”
Orange hair?
Yeseo’s eyes desperately scan the perimeter.
She was the only one with orange hair.
At the realization that whoever these voices were found her pretty, Yeseo’s cheeks pink ever so slightly. It’s not like she wasn’t complimented at all, but sticking to the sides of Choi Yujin and Kim Chaehyun of all people does tend to leave you in quite a big shadow.
The fact that they noticed her out of all people has her giddy with joy. Suddenly, she doesn’t feel so lonely anymore.
With a smile, she turns around only for it to promptly drop seeing nobody there. She doesn’t realize she’s staring, until there’s a hand on her shoulder. She nearly screams, flinching at the contact only to immediately relax seeing a concerned looking Chaehyun behind her.
“What the hell is actually up with you?” Questions Chaehyun with a raised eyebrow, “The ghosts giving you the creeps? I knew you sucked at watching horror plays, but wow.”
Yeseo gapes indignantly.
“It’s not…!”
Yeseo’s cheeks then pink, mostly out of embarrassment and a tinge of fear. She realizes that Chaehyun would never leave her alone if she found out. She would probably drag Dayeon to start a manhunt for said voices, Yujin and Xiaoting would join in without a second thought and the rest of Yeseo’s year would suddenly be way worse than she could ever imagine.
“You know what, you’re right.” Yeseo laughs nervously, “I’m just terrified of this castle, that’s all. Totally.” Chaehyun narrows her eyes at her, “You’re so weird.” She scoffs, using her thumb to play with Yeseo’s cheek as she often does. Yeseo’s learned to let it go after so many years.
“Now come on, we need to go practice for the opening parade. You didn’t forget your solo part, did you? You know, with how forgetful you are and whatnot?”
Suddenly, Yeseo’s former haughtiness is back.
“What do you think of me?” Yeseo grins madly, “After I perform, they won’t even want to watch you.”
“And there’s the Kang Yeseo I know and tolerate.” Chaehyun rolls her eyes, turning around to follow the rest of the Beauxbatons population to the Great Hall leaving Yeseo trailing behind her. Her heart suddenly felt much lighter than it ever felt in a long time.
For the rest of the preparations, Yeseo would be lying if she said those voices ever left her head.
———
“So what? We prepare a whole choreography, and they just have to look cool and walk to get everyone to go silent?” Yujin snickers, only a tinge of annoyance in her tone, “Seriously, how are they scared of Ting and Dayeon of all people?”
“I know.” Chaehyun giggles, “They look so stupid right now. I can’t wait to make fun of them later.”
“Don’t look so gossip-y, the Hogwarts students are already looking.” Yeseo scolds lightly, but can’t help but feel the need to hold back giggles of her own. The Durmstrang students’ entry was surely different to theirs, and was a lot less intimidating when you know the people performing were not as scary as many probably believed them to be.
“Let them.” Yujin shrugs, “It’ll be the sixth article of me shittalking Ting this month. No biggie.”
“You two are having too much fun with this.” Chaehyun rolls her eyes and Yujin merely shrugs again, a cheeky grin on her face, “That was the reporters’ fault, not mine. In a world like this one, we need to find out how to take advantage of our surroundings.”
“Stop turning everything into a lecture, Socrates.” Yeseo grumbles, yelping as Yujin shoves her lightly.
Eventually, they’re called to eat and Yeseo has to sit in a sea of blue and bronze colored robes rather than the usual powder blue for the first time since what felt like forever. She could feel the many eyes on her figure, and tries not to seem so nervous at the thought of everyone looking at her.
She knew her short solo part during her entrance would attract attention (which was definitely not her intention, she just wanted extra points once again!) but she wasn’t happy about it. With a frown, she tries not to vomit as soon as the food she had scooped up touches her tongue. She could still feel people’s stares and because of that, her stomach continuously churned.
She still remembers how she had felt when they exited the carriage and met the excited Hogwarts population. How eyes zeroed in on her: the unknown girl who was being so strangely clingy with Choi Yujin and Kim Chaehyun. How she had hidden behind Yujin, hand gripping the older girl’s skirt because of her overwhelming fear and anxiety. She’s never been good with attention.
“Time for that sixth article.” Yujin suddenly says, snapping Yeseo out of her daze. Yeseo narrows her eyes at her only for a strike of realization to hit her once following Yujin’s line of sight.
“Please don’t tell me they’re creating drama this early in the year.” Groans Yeseo, watching as Yujin gets up from her seat and approaches Xiaoting who seems like she was waiting for her to come. She watches as they roll their eyes at each other and pretend to argue as if Yeseo — poor Yeseo — didn’t walk in on them making out that one fateful day the year prior.
(Yeseo still cries at night thinking about it, despite Xiaoting’s numerous sheepish apologies. Not Yujin though. That little shit doesn’t apologize for anything or anyone — unless it’s Xiaoting who’s sulking of course. That’s the only time she’ll ever melt into a puddle for anyone, even if Xiaoting was mad about something as small as one of those love percentage tests all teens have conjured at least once to see if their significant other truly loves them. When it showed 43%, she had avoided Yujin for a whole day.)
Whispers of gossip now surrounded Yeseo and she dearly wished she never knew Yujin or Xiaoting for a few short moments.
“You know how they are.” Chaehyun shrugs, too focused on taking a bite of her potato. She then hums in thought, cooing, “I’m gonna go look around, don’t go anywhere, okay? You could get lost, my sweet little baby girl.” Yeseo only gives Chaehyun the stink-eye watching the girl abruptly get up from the table.
Following Chaehyun’s retreating figure, the incredulity Yeseo was feeling was only increasing when she saw who Chaehyun had approached and had immediately engaged in conversation with.
If Yeseo wasn’t entirely convinced Chaehyun had a fat, stupid crush on Kim Dayeon, she would’ve thought she was consistently flirting with the poor Head Girl of Hogwarts (poor, because Chaehyun is the worst person she’s ever come to know, only possibly second to Yujin. Then again, they are the only two people she really knows.) at this point for Merlin’s sake.
Bored of Chaehyun’s sly grins and the Head Girl’s widened, embarrassed eyes, her own eyes begin to wander, because sitting right beside the Head Girl are a trio of girls who seemed to be bickering amongst themselves. They shove each other playfully, poorly hidden smiles creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement as their eyes crinkle, their stares clearly directed towards Chaehyun.
Yeseo wants to question why they’re excited to see the most annoying person in all of the Wizarding World — Kim Chaehyun, if you couldn’t tell — of all people, but surprisingly, there was a much bigger question currently on her mind.
She wonders what it would be like to be apart of that.
Sure, she had Yujin and Chaehyun plus Xiaoting and Dayeon but they were all years apart from her. Things they experience and joke about are ones Yeseo will never get for a long time. The thought of having friends at least close to her age sounds like a dream. People she can tease, people who have the same interests as her.
She feels as if she’ll only be able to dream. With a sad sigh, she begins to quietly dig into her food again, trying to curl into herself as much as she possibly could, because the feeling of the stares and the whispers seemed to never disappear.
———
Despite the absolute death trap that sits in front of Yeseo, the atmosphere is the room is strangely positive and calm. Yeseo watches Yujin place her name in the cup with a confident smile, majority of the Hogwarts population who had come to gather there to both her and Xiaoting looking at her in awe.
“And that will be mine eventually.” Yujin hums, looking at the Triwizard Cup, which would be awarded to the winner, with determined eyes. Her eyes then scan the room, and Yeseo follows her line of sight only to land on Xiaoting just as she had expected. Yujin grins mischievously, making an ‘I’m watching you.’ motion towards the redheaded girl, who they had all watched put her name in the cup just a few moments ago.
Xiaoting merely rolls her eyes (though playfully), using her thumb to make a cutting motion across her neck. It was interesting that even when Yujin and Xiaoting began dating and had moved on from their previous rivalry, their competitive streak and constant bickering seemed to have never disappeared.
While they cared much for each other’s safety, the thought of a good competition to see who would come out on top sounded quite attractive to them all the same. Many others apparently thought the same, judging by how bets about whether Yujin or Xiaoting would win the tournament were already flying about.
“You know, it would be really funny if the Hogwarts champion wins.” Chaehyun muses, Yeseo only snickering in response. She didn’t even know who the Hogwarts champion was going to be, but the possibility sounded hilarious. Yujin and Xiaoting had won enough in life, they could afford to be knocked down a peg.
“Don’t manifest it.” Yujin groans, “I’ve already seen scary looking people from Hogwarts put their name into the cup. If the Hogwarts champion ends up becoming some snobbish, stuck-up, pompous asshole, I’m gonna target them all the time.”
“And if you like the Hogwarts champion, then what?” Chaehyun asks with a raised eyebrow and Yujin can only scoff, crossing her arms, “No chance! Either me or Ting are the winners and no one else.”
“If you say so.” Chaehyun hums knowingly and Yujin narrows her eyes at her, “Whatever, you guys are still so weird.” She abruptly spins on her heel, huffing, “I’m gonna go down to the Great Hall now, I’m hungry.” Chaehyun and Yeseo watch as she walks out of the room, not at all surprised as Xiaoting is quick to follow her only a few moments later.
“Hungry for Xiaoting’s lips apparently.” Chaehyun hums casually and suddenly, Yeseo feels the need to puke all over the dusty, stone floors of the room they were currently in. “Shut up.” She hisses, and Chaehyun merely giggles happily, always so eager to laugh at her misery.
Before Chaehyun can make another joke to further push Yeseo nearer to the verge of depression, there’s a sudden blanket of silence that is thrown over the room, excited whispers abound.
“You guys are actually serious about doing an aging spell?” Yeseo hears a familiar voice, said voice sounding somewhat worried yet incredulous all the same, “Not even Shiro can do an aging spell, and she’s like the best witch we’ve ever met in our entire lives!”
“Come on, Hie, it’ll be fine.” Laughs another voice, familiar all the same. And another voice, unfamiliar this time, says, “Who cares if it does go wrong? Wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“It would hurt if you guys were stuck as children forever!” The first voice, Hie, if Yeseo remembers correct, groans. “Aw, you care about us?” The second voice coos and the first voice scoffs, “As if! I just care that Shiro’s going to find out. Remember what happened the last time she got really angry?”
“Well, it’ll be fine cause she won’t.” The third voice says confidently, “Now come on, Karu. Let’s go get into the circle.”
“Whatever you guys say…” The first voice grumbles, “If Shiro kills both of you, don’t come crying to me.”
That’s when Yeseo turns around in time to see two girls walking towards the Triwizard Cup, a potion in each of their hands. What surprised Yeseo the most was how young they look — their eyes were sharp yet captivating and bright all the same. They were maybe not younger but definitely not seniors, that’s for sure.
She knew the cup would only allow seniors to add their names, and that’s when Yeseo makes the realization: they were going to try and trick the cup.
“This feels like something Yujin and Xiaoting would do back in the day.” Sighs Chaehyun fondly, “Such great memories. I still remember the bucket and broomstick incidents like they were yesterday — Merlin, I miss it when Yujin and Xiaoting would be in the infirmary so they would shut up and the world would be perfect for just a few moments.” She didn’t seem worried for what may happen to these two girls in the slightest.
Yeseo, on the other hand, felt her heart get heavier for whatever reason.
With widened eyes and a quickly beating heart, she nervously watches as the two girls down the potions in their hands before walking into the circle surrounding the cup. For a few moments, nothing happens and for some strange reason, Yeseo lets out a short sigh of relief.
The grins on the girls’ faces and the relief Yeseo was currently experiencing are short lived though, and everyone’s eyes go wide as they’re suddenly kicked out of the circle, falling on the ground outside with an unpleasant crashing sound.
Yeseo flinches, but nothing compares to what she feels next, because her eyes widen to see two toddlers in place of two girls who she swears were originally around her age.
The room suddenly bursts into laughter, but all Yeseo can do is gape in shock.
“Unnie, I’m kinda scared.” Yeseo stammers, watching the red and gold robed individuals point and howl at the sight. “This is why you don’t drink strange potions, Yeseo-ah.” Huffs Chaehyun, but Yeseo only looks at her judgementally, “You would totally do this, by the way. Remember when you downed a love potion because you couldn’t admit to your feelings for you-know-who?”
Chaehyun merely rolls her eyes, “I’m talking to you not myself.”
Before Yeseo can come back with another haughty retort of hers, there’s suddenly a loud, panicked exclamation coming from the red and gold colored crowd that grabs her attention.
“Wait, coming through!” The first voice from earlier exclaimed.
A blonde girl dressed in similar robes who looked akin to a doll immediately rushed forward from the crowd and effortlessly scooped up the two babies, looking somewhat worried as a contrast to her giggling housemates. Yeseo would’ve admired her beauty if it weren’t for the shocking situation at hand.
“Okay, great job guys, cause now Shiro’s actually gonna kill us! Probably me first.” Groans the blonde, but the two babies in her arms can only babble incoherently as a response. “Can’t both of you say something?” She asks, sounding as if she was teetering on the verge of insanity. The two babies only babble again.
Her voice really did sound strangely familiar to Yeseo, but she couldn’t focus on that at all at that moment.
Yeseo can only continue to gape incredulously at the scene. If all the students were like this trio of girls, she doesn’t think she’ll be able to survive the year. Maybe it was just because Beauxbatons was much more uptight, prim, and proper (a little too much unlike their star students Yujin and Chaehyun, in Yeseo’s opinion) but this surely couldn’t be the norm in Hogwarts, right?
At the sight, Chaehyun merely giggles, “I think it’s hilarious.” She says, patting Yeseo on the head, “Besides, you might as well get used to it. We’re gonna be here for awhile.”
Yeseo can only groan, burying her face in her hands.
“I hate this school.”
This was so going to be the longest year of her life.