Give it to Me

31. Persona

✯NAMJOON✯
 

 
His dragon eyes scrutinized the Academy's grounds from his office's balcony.  Most of the students had already made it back from Durmstrang, accompanied back sparingly by the Aurors allowed in and out of Mahoutokoro, whom had verified their identities carefully. Although the night was still ongoing in Durmstrang, it was already morning in Mahoutokoro.  He hadn't slept, instead, he stayed awake and attentive, expecting Seok-jun's late arrival. But nothing.
The oldest kids were still at the party, as were some of the professors - notably Yoongi.  Namjoon was patiently awaiting his return, but he had a hunch on who was probably keeping his friend so busy.  He paced back and forth along the wooden railing as his hand gently grazed its surface. 

'What did I miss?'  

The Seok-jun he remembered should have taken the bait, even though it was an obvious trap.  
The man was so self-confident and blinded by the need to finish off his brother, he should have stepped right into Mahoutokoro, flaunting himself and his plan. Namjoon didn't feel so sure of himself, suddenly. He thought he had him.  He thought it would be over.  He felt a sudden stinging pain on his hand, around his knuckles. He didn't even feel his own frustration leading him to violently punch the wooden structure around him. 

'What did I miss?' he asked himself over and over, reviewing in his mind everything that structured his plan. The more he reflected, the less his ideas sounded clear.  
A gentle tapping against the railing on which he was leaning distracted him for his psyche. 
The majestic bird of prey, his faithful companion, was pecking against the wood, visibly trying to get his attention.

    "What is it?" he wondered, gently stroking the pet's feathers with the back of his index. That's when he noticed the small string and parchment roll attached to the bird's claws. 

    "Thank you, friend," he muttered as he freed it from the message. The falcon flew away, back to its coop, visibly satisfied with the accomplishment of its mission. Namjoon unraveled the golden
paper and writing appeared.  He recognized Taehyung's handwriting asking him to meet that night at the same location of their last rendezvous. Did Taehyung have supplementary information?  

He wouldn't have requested a meeting otherwise, and it must have been urgent for him to ask to meet that same night. Namjoon felt a hint of hope: maybe Seok-jun wasn't a step ahead of them. He read the parchment again, this time, focusing on the second paragraph: 
'Do you remember Jung Hoseok being present, at the last task of Yoongi's Tournament, ten years ago?

Namjoon pondered on his question. He took his own mind back a decade. France. Beauxbatons. The Arena, the duel. Yoongi and Y/N, facing off beneath the thousands of spectators, cheering both sides. He could visualize it all. He distinctly remembered Hoseok, sitting in the stand right below him, facing the competition and turning his back at him. 
His eyes roamed over Taehyung's words again. Why did he want to know? How was that relevant to the investigation?

His fingers massaged his temples, his head felt heavy, clouded, as if it was about to burst. He really needed rest. He hadn't slept in over 48 hours. His mind needed to be cleared, ready for reflection and Taehyung's elements. His mind pondered on the question, again, as he slowly passed out against the silk pillows of the chair. Why was Hoseok relevant to Taehyung's investigation? 
 

 
✯
 
 

An incessant knock on his office door awakened him from slumber. He groggily dragged himself up from the large wingback chair and directed himself towards the door, opening it from a distance with a simple spell in his mind. Yoongi barged into the room, slamming the wooden door behind him. 
    "Ah, you're finally back," Namjoon commented, 
    "Honestly, what took you so long?"