Magic Within Us - An Ateez Hogwarts AU

Potions and Traps

"Alright class I will be expecting your essays by next Wednesday. You only need to write one length of parchment no more. Do not forget that if you write too small I will not be able to read it and you will fail. I'm looking at the ravenclaws." Professor stood in front of the class, several parchment of paper were tucked under his arm as he waved his wand and cleaned up the messes in front of everyone. They all sat at long benches in the middle of Greenhouse two and once dismissed were eager to head to lunch.

Mingi sat beside San and started to pick up his book bag. He didn't bother to glare at Yunho across the room as he gathered his things. Instead he looked dejected and lost.

"Hey, I need to talk to Professor Longbottom, but after classes can you help me study for the Care of magical creatures unit test?" San felt bad about lying to Mingi. It wasn't a complete lie. San really did need to study for Care of Magical Creatures but he had anterior motives for wanting to get Mingi with him after classes.

Mingi looked up at San and smiled. "Yeah of course."

"Okay I'll see you later." San waved as Mingi left and started towards the front of the class. He passed by Yunho in silence and longed to say something to him but it was his job to get Mingi and Jongho would get Yunho. "Professor, can I speak to you for a moment?" San pushed past the tide of students heading for the door until he stood before Professor Longbottom.

"Yes?" Asked Professor Longbottom quizzically.

"Uh, I-" San paused as he waited for more students to make their way out of the room. Once there were only small clusters of lingering students did San continue. "I was wondering if you had heard anything more about Mortem." San could feel his heart thump hard in his chest like a steady drum, except that drum was trying to break. He knew there was things that the teachers had tried to keep from him. He had seen it, in the early hours of the morning San had watched one of the Aurors sent to protect Hogwarts stumble out of the Forbidden forest, his clothes had been torn and blood covered his left side. He had fought something in the forest but what San wasn't sure.

"Mr. Choi, you know I can not discuss that with you and even if I could I wouldn't because you and your friends seem just the sort to needlessly seek out trouble." This seemed to make Professor Longbottom smile even though he was reprimanding San.

"But Sir-"

"Don't 'but sir' me." Professor Longbottom shook his head and waved a finger in front of San. "This is not up for discussion. We have told you time and again that you need to let the Aurors handle it. And also remember that if you try anything I still have the Map."

San could sense that Professor Longbottom was not going to budge in the slightest and his hope of divulging even a small piece of information from his teacher was for naught. Instead, he tried to change the conversation. "Would it be alright if I took some herbs from the storehouse? I need them for an extra credit assignment for potions."

"It has nothing to do with Mortem?"

"Nothing." San promised, eager to have Professor Longbottom agree before he asked too many questions.

Professor Longbottom seemed to study San's face for a moment before must have decided that there was nothing in the storeroom San could use to get into trouble. He nodded and pulled his wand from his pocket, turned to the back of the room and a quick wave unlocked the back door to the storeroom. "Be quick, and make sure to lock it up again when you leave." He tucked his wand away again and followed the last of the other students out the door.

San made his way over to the storeroom, pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket and started to read off the ingredients he needed.

Once he had gathered them all up he hurried up to the castle. They only had their lunch period to prepare. San ran up the stairs to the empty classroom that he and Wooyoung normally practiced in.