The Ravenclaw Nine || BTS Harry Potter AU

Chapter 18

Hoseok's Point of View

"I have a real treat for you today!" Professor Kettleburn's Care of Magical Creatures class was gathered around the entrance to the Forbidden Forest, which did not appear as terrifying as its name implied with sunlight shining down upon it. "Some of you may already be familiar with this glorious creature, as your wands carry a core of hair from its tail. Hoseok Jung! Will you step forward and tell the class what the core of your wand is?" Hoseok swallowed hard, feeling the familiar pang of fear in his chest at facing so many people – especially when he would speak in front of... her.

"I-I have unicorn-n hair i-inside my w-wand," he stammered. He heard Nara gasp in delight from somewhere within the crowd, and his face began to flush.

"Very good, Mr. Jung. Follow me closely, class, and do not make any loud noises."

"Why?" a Slytherin boy asked bluntly.

"Loud noises will spook a unicorn, idiot," Nara scowled. Taehyung touched her forearm lightly, a subtle gesture telling her to calm down. Hoseok thought he saw a blush dusting her cheeks when she pulled her arm away, but his heart insisted that he must have imagined it.

"G-good morning, Nara," Hoseok said shyly as the class began to follow Professor Kettleburn into the forest.

Nara heaved a sigh before reluctantly replying, "Good morning, Hoseok."

"H-how are y–"

"I'm fine – thank you," she snapped. Turning her attention to the boy beside her, her frown relaxed into a smile. "Well, Tae? What do you want to talk about?"

"W-we could talk about the unicorn," Hoseok suggested, flinching as she glared at him.

"I'm sorry," she replied through gritted teeth, "but I believe I was talking to Taehyung."

"Oh." Hoseok's heart sank, and while he continued to walk beside them, an unhappy spectator to their lively discussion, he did not speak again.

After a few more minutes of trekking through the forest, they came upon a clearing of flawlessly green grass that was surrounded by willow and oak trees. The landscape, however, dimmed in comparison to the bright glow emitting from the magical creature before them. It tossed its beautiful head, its wavy white mane flicking into the air and settling around the shining horn atop its head. Its dark eyes scanned the class warily and focused on Hoseok.

"Astraea," Professor Kettleburn murmured, approaching the unicorn with slow, cautious steps. The unicorn did not exhibit any apprehension but rather nudged the man's shoulder and allowed him to pet its head lovingly. "This is Astraea – a mare. She is about eight years old." With Astraea remaining loyally beside him, he turned to face his awestruck class. "It is always said that one leaves an encounter with a unicorn feeling like a different person. It changes you – it matures your perspective of the world. As I mentioned earlier, a strand of hair from a unicorn's tail can be used in wands, although some seekers of unicorns have more sinister purposes. Drinking a unicorn's blood can retain life and waylay death for a short time, but it forces the drinker to live a cursed life, for no good person would slay a unicorn." Professor Kettleburn gestured to Hoseok with his synthetic arm. "Mr. Jung? I hate to call you out again, but would you mind setting an example for the class? Unicorns often prefer a woman's touch, but because Hoseok has a special connection to Astraea, I believe he should approach her first."

"What?" Hoseok asked, his brows furrowing. Was he part-unicorn or something?

"Your wand has a core of unicorn hair. Curiously enough, Astraea is the unicorn that provided said core." Professor Kettleburn's face lit up with a bright smile. "I have never seen anything like this happen before – you are truly a rarity, Mr. Jung." His awe swiftly transformed into analytical seriousness, and he lifted his hands in front of him, nodding for Hoseok to mimic the action. "The first thing to note is that unicorns must be treated with great respect. Approach Astraea with slow steps. If you see fear in her eyes, stop walking and allow her time to become acquainted with your presence." Hoseok stepped forward and bowed his head submissively, practically shaking with apprehension. What if the unicorn attacked him?