Magical Afflictions |SKZ Hogwarts AU|

Chapter 10 |Truth|

They arrived at the quidditch court, winded and tired. Yongjin coughed and wheezed out what little breath she had left, hurled over her knees in pain. “I… don’t… run,” the girl spat out between her rushed breathing. Jeongin gave her little attention as he scanned the lower courts for Minho’s form. The boy spotted Minho was standing far to their left underneath a Hufflepuff decorated-rafter. Next to him stood a tall Ravenclaw with a square-ish jaw-line and dark hair, a boy Jeongin knew to be Kim Woojin. The same boy he found Jisung with not too long ago outside the quidditch pit along with Yongjin’s dragon-bearing older sister. 

Yongjin gathered herself and stood up, repositioning herself next to Jeongin. “That’s the friend I mentioned,” she announced softly, dark eyes trained ahead on the pair several feet ahead of them, “They’re talking about Jisung.” 

Jeongin faced her with confusion painting his face, brows furrowed and upper nose wrinkled slightly in a cute manner. Yongjin caught the action and giggled at the amusing facial position. Jeongin inquired confoundedly, “How do you know that’s what they are speaking about?” Yongjin didn’t say anything for a moment, but, instead, pointed at her lips and then the pair of Ravenclaws before them.

“Reading lips is one of my few talents. I might not pick up on history too well or potions, but I can read other’s like a book. Sharp eyes make up for my struggles,” the young girl admitted, beaming brightly at Jeongin. “Minho doesn’t always directly speak to me about Jisung. Sometimes he just utters to himself and I simply catch him,” she added, acting a little sinister about her talent, “Why don’t we try listening in? Hiding in the banisters covering the lower part of the rafter would be an excellent place.”

Nodding at the idea in concurment, Jeongin worked his way around to where the yellow and black cloth flapped loosely on the opposite side of the stands than where Woojin and Minho stood. Then the boy worked his way behind the cloth and through the wooden structures that kept the rafter afoot. 

Now that he was closer than before, their voices rang out clearly. Yongjin assumed a position next to Jeongin. She may have few clues to what Jeongin desired from this encounter, but she clearly wanted to help. The two crouched, avoiding the wooden pillars and metal rods that hung about underneath the stands. Their breathing was steadying down from rushing over here--Yongjin being dragged by Jeongin, of course--alleviating the worry of being caught in such an awkward situation.

“You should speak to him, Minho, really. He was crying his eyes out in the library. It was so pitiful, yet he still found the ability to think of you with love. He wouldn’t tell me why he was in that state, but he clearly was hurt by something or someone. Right now, he needs you, Minho. Don’t let this stop you from having a beautiful relationship with someone you care about. Trust me, I wish I could be in your position. Jisung cares about you deeply. I can see it,” Woojin droned, voice thick with worry and concern.

Minho was quiet for a bit, the only sound Jeongin heard was Yongjin’s and his smoothed breathing. “He came here and Jeongin just let him. It’s dangerous here for a muggle. Jisung could get hurt, murdered, or worse, taken away from me. They could erase his memories and forbid me from being with him. I… I don’t want that,” Minho declared in a softened tone, voice barely heard by Jeongin and Yongjin.

Woojin quickly intervened any more rambling from Minho with a sharp tone, “About that--don’t you remember what Jeongin said? He said that he tried erasing Jisung’s memories but couldn’t. I had been thinking it over ever since and I just can’t make sense of it. There’s too much suspicion with the entire thought. How does a first-year know a memory charm and how can a muggle resist one?”

Jeongin’s heart sped up. This Kim Woojin was smart, no wonder he was a Ravenclaw prefect. Yongjin pulled gently on the sleeve of Jeongin’s robe, gaining his attention. The girl whispered to him, “You know a memory charm?” He didn’t really want to respond and tried to brush the comment off by taking his leave from beneath the rafters. Yongjin followed, intrigued by the action.