SM Town; HP AU; The Squib
Title: The Squib [1/?]
Fandom: SM Town
Pairing: various
Word Count: 9,500
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Taemin is set to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Heechul, at the Jae Neung Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. He just didn't know how big his shoes were.
Genre: Humor, Crack, Action
A/N: its HP!AU! everyone party like a muggle! so i started writing again. i don't know where it came from. I don't have planned updates or anything, just posting as it comes. i hope it isn't too confusing. it is NOT Hogwarts. it is NOT Harry Potter's world. it is connected, and there are similarities, yes, like 4 "houses", but there will be no Voldermort, no idols as the characters, nothing. Cho Chang might make an appearance for humor reasons only and for a short time only, and that's it. so don't get on my case about copy shit.
also, Imae is NOT a mary sue, i hate them, and she is quite a bitch, so don't try to pin me with that, either.
kudos to schm0use for trying to prevent my fail, which so often likes to rear its ugly head.
“I…I don’t….understand…how can he be a…a…a…--“
“A Squib?” prompted Hankyung.
Heechul let out a scandalized gasp. “Don’t say that.” He whispered, fanning a hand at him.
“What?” said Hankyung, shrugging. “It’s clear that’s what he is, look at him, he can’t even summon a teaspoon, let alone his bottle-“
“No! No he can’t be a Squib. It’s impossible, my entire family is pureblood, our line has produced some of the best witches and wizards this nation has ever seen--” Heechul ranted, pacing around the living room desperately. His baby brother giggled happily to himself as various objects flew around the room following his hyung’s waving hands. His hair ruffled and he let out a particularly delighted squeal as a lamp narrowly missed the top of his head. Hankyung dove valiantly behind him, football-catching the rather unamused-looking grey cat zooming straight towards the fireplace.
“Heechul, would you be careful? You’re going to end up killing him if you-Heebum OUCH quit biti-OW.”
Heechul spun around to face Hankyung nursing his injured finger, his cat slinking away sullenly. “This is an outrage, Hankyung,” he said seriously. “This morning that brat Yesung from down the street shot a chicken straight through our open kitchen window. Yesung. If anyone should be a Squib, it should be him. His mother is the strangest Muggle I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Heechul walked over, picking up his baby brother and fixing him with a forlorn stare. “Oh Taemin. You’ll show some promise soon, won’t you?”
Taemin giggled again and grabbed Heechul’s bottom lip in one of his pudgy little fists. He pulled.
Hankyung let out a guffaw and was rewarded with a glare. “Lubblee.” Heechul responded.
--
Ten years later, Heechul was sleeping soundly in his bed. Hankyung was camped out on the floor next to him. Heechul had offered to assemble some of his things in a makeshift cot for him, but Hankyung refused and insisted that the floor was fine. Last time, the instant Heechul had fallen asleep, the hammock of sweaters had collapsed and Hankyung had had a sore temper and a sore ass in the morning.
Heechul rolled over, one arm flopping over the side of his bed. It smacked Hankyung square in the face, but neither of them woke up. He was just having a lovely dinner with Ahn Sohee, the youngest of The Wonder Witches, who he desperately worshiped, when all of a sudden, the bathroom down the hall exploded.
“Whazzafuja.” Hankyung stated, sitting bolt upright.
“What the FU-“ Heechul began. Just then, his door to his bedroom burst open and his mother rushed in. Heechul stared at her. She was drenched and there were bits of loofa tangled in her hair. She grinned at him ecstatically. “Mother. What.” He deadpanned.
“Heechul, it's the most wonderful thing-“ his mother gushed breathlessly. Her cheeks were a patchy pink, her eyes feverishly bright. “Taemin, it’s Taemin!”
Heechul took a second to process his mother’s words and then launched himself out of bed and down the hall, his mother and Hankyung in hot pursuit. He barreled past the door of the bathroom and froze. A skinny, eleven-year-old Taemin stood in what was left of the desecrated bathtub, his hands blocking self-consciously in front of him. He was stark naked, dripping just like his mother, and was still slightly soapy. An entire wall of the bathroom was gone, a cheery view of the garden where the toilet and sink used to be. There was a geyser of water shooting up from each of their respective spouts, flooding the floor and soaking the silver towels that had been shaken out of the cabinet. Taemin reached up a hand and quickly rubbed a few suds out of his eyes. He grinned nervously at his audience.
“What….happened?” choked Heechul. His mother pushed forward, grinning proudly at both her sons. Hankyung still stood shell-shocked in the doorway.
“I came in to put some towels away. The door wasn't locked, so I opened it and, well,” She beamed at Taemin with what looked like all the love and pride in the world. “I suppose I surprised him.”
Heechul strode forward, pausing before Taemin and staring at him. Then, without warning, he threw an arm around his neck and pulled him into an impossibly tight, suffocating hug. Taemin teetered forward awkwardly, hands clamped firmly in front of him. “I am so proud of you,” he sniffled thickly.
“Thanks, hyung,” Taemin replied, smiling brightly. “Uh….can I get dressed now?”
--
Twenty minutes and a lot of repairing magic later, the lavish kitchen of the Kim home was packed with at least seventeen people. Heechul’s mother, father, and Taemin were there, along with his older and rather successful sister, Heejin, who had Apparated from a Ministry of Magic meeting all the way in London. She had married one of the top wizards in the ministry and moved there, only three months after securing her job as an international affairs correspondent. She was also stunningly pretty. Heechul and her sustained a rather loving yet fierce rivalry.
Along with the rest of his immediate family were his posh aunt and uncle from Jeju, all four of his grandparents, three of his cousins, his batty great aunt once removed who Heechul had a rather fond liking for, and his father’s brother’s sister-in-law who, for some inexplicable and kind of creepy reason, looked almost exactly like Heejin, only less pretty than Heechul. He kind of hated her too, though less so. His mother was busy managing the numerous pots and pans making a celebratory dinner for her son’s birthday and first Showing of magic. Hankyung stood quietly in the corner by the cooler with Heechul, watching as everyone pined over Taemin, pulling at him and prodding.
“So does this mean he isn’t a-“
“A Squib?” Heechul finished. “No, of course not. Squibs don't annihilate their second floor bathroom. He’s so late though, I wonder if he’ll be accepted.”
Hankyung didn't have to ask what Heechul meant by ‘accepted’. Everyone already knew what they were waiting for. Heejin wouldn't have left unless it was something extremely important, and his grandfather on his mother’s side barely gets out of his armchair for dinner, let alone a pre-teen’s birthday party. No, the real reason his family had assembled was to await the owl that would let them all know whether or not Taemin would continue the long line of Kim’s who have attended Jae Neung Acadamy for Young Witches and Wizards.
Heechul’s stomach was doing back flips; what if they didn't register Taemin’s display of magical capabilities in time? Do they even wait for it to Show, or do they somehow already know who will be on the roster? (Heechul remembers some twat from his Defense Against the Dark Arts class bragging about how her ‘name had been down since birth’ (he had immediately snapped that being the first witch of your entire bloodline wasn’t anything to brag about, and she went rather quiet)).
The only thing Heechul had regretted in his sixteen years of life was his brother turning out as a-well, the way he had. The only thing he wanted more than a niffler taking a go at his sister’s belly button piercing was for Taemin to be more than just a disappointment to his family. When he was twelve, he had asked his mother if Taemin hadn’t been accidentally switched at birth with ‘some common muggle child’, despite the clear resemblance between them. Taemin had overheard, and even though it took them less than ten seconds to un-barricade his bedroom door, it had taken a week to get him to speak to him again. So now, looking at his family chattering to one another and cooing over his younger brother, Heechul’s nerves were on fire and he was more desperate than ever to see an owl come through that kitchen window and spare his brother from becoming the first wildly embarrassing disappointment of his family.
An hour or so went by, and Heechul’s heart sunk lower and lower with every glance at the clock. Soon, the afternoon sun started glowing gold with the passing of another day. Each time Heechul scanned the sky, his hand inched closer and closer to Hankyung’s until the Chinese kid was trying to pry his fingers out of his palm. Heechul could hear his breathing in his ears. It wasn’t going to happen. Taemin turned around and looked at him from the middle of the living room, and his smile was unsure.
THWACK.
Heechul’s head snapped forward as a strong wing smacked him square in the back of the head. He looked up, furious, as a huge Australian masked owl soared past, skimming the ceiling. He had opened his mouth to say something, but promptly shut it and re-gouged Hankyung’s hand as it dropped a thick letter, circled around, and flew back out of the house. Taemin caught it in his fingers gracefully, his mother stifling a squeal behind him. Taemin paused, and looked up. His eyes found Heechul’s. Heechul swallowed and inclined his head.
Taemin examined the envelope, a pale peach hue to the parchment. The golden ink addressed the letter to him, and the amber seal of the back held a crest he knew well. He slid a finger between the fold of the parchment and slowly cracked the wax on the back of the paper, reaching in and pulling out a letter. A second sheet fell to the floor, Heejin quietly moving to pick it up as Taemin’s eyes quickly scanned and locked on the message.
He gasped and clapped a hand to his mouth. Somehow, Heechul got to him first.
Hankyung couldn't help but smile as the mass of people in the living room slowly sunk to the floor, crying and hugging and best of all, laughing, in the fading light of the day.
--
“Taemin come on-“
Taemin’s arm was jerked forward painfully by his older brother and he stumbled along behind him, head turning every which way. They were in the Incheon airport in Seoul, which wasn't any place new to Taemin, but now that he knew he was about to get on the flight to the Academy, he couldn't help but wonder who else would be passing through the barrier with him. Heechul was practically dragging him behind him, Taemin in one hand and his small carry-on suitcase in his other.
To the untrained eyes of the Muggles, they looked like ordinary kids with a small suitcase each. The reality was that all of their things had been shrunken quite handily to fit into regular-looking suitcases. Heechul and Taemin’s silver accented trunks, Taemin’s owl GaYoung, Heechul’s cat Heebum, and their school clothes conveniently minimized into their bags, Hankyung’s second-hand trunk, school clothes, and his Mangshan Pitviper in his own.
Taemin’s arm was given another sharp tug and he moved a little faster. Heechul had become increasingly stricter towards him, probably because he didn’t feel so bad after learning his younger brother wasn't a Squib after all. After being officially recognized as a promising wizard, Taemin had lost out on a lot of pity perks, most of his special treatment evaporating over the night of his birthday, but he didn't mind. In his opinion, all of it was being traded for something better. He did wish Heechul would stop pushing him down the stairs to force him to levitate every now and then, but the more magic he showed, the less he was bothered the following week.
The three reached security and Heechul let go of Taemin. He sighed as he watched him squint at an eleven-year old girl holding on to her mother’s hand, obviously trying to spot some indication of magic on her. He gave up on him, turning instead to talk to Hankyung.
“How much time do we have left?”
“An hour. We’re good, don't worry.”
Heechul sighed again in relief. “I just don't want to be late, it’s his first time and I don't want him stuck in a cabin with someone like Yesung. That would be a flight from hell.” A woman walking past shot him a dirty glare. Hankyung recognized her as Yesung’s mother.
“His mom heard you,” he stated simply.
“Big load of Kimchi, I don't care,” Heechul snorted. Hankyung shrugged.
“-such a sweetheart, really, that Ahn So Hee. Mother told me that she specifically requested to room with me, which puts Ga Hee out of a bed, but that’s okay, nobody really likes her-“
Heechul and Hankyung turned around to see a girl stride past with a man who was obviously her father. The girl was petite with a thin frame, her sleek black hair tumbling over her shoulders before turning into perfect, just-the-right-size curls. Her pleated skirt was modest when paired with her pink cardigan, but there was an air about her that suggested otherwise. She reached up a delicate, manicured hand, flicking one of her Hollywood-curls over her shoulder primly. She had a friend with her, slightly plainer with less doll-like features, a small bandage over the bridge of her nose, not-so-subtly hiding a pimple. Her clothes weren’t as pristine either, her skirt longer, the cardigan traded for a tan sweater vest.
The party strolled up to the security station, and the girl’s father pulled out a small flip-book, flashing something at the attendant. She nodded and halted the line, motioning over two male guards who lifted the girls’ bags onto the security scanner belt. The attendant reached over and unclipped one of the belts that formed the lines and ushered the two girls forward. Just before she walked past the security frame, the girl who had spoken looked back and caught Heechul’s eye. She smirked nastily.
Heechul let out a loud snort of disgust. Several people turned to look at him. He glared at them, then ignored them to complain to Hankyung. “That Imae thinks the world revolves around her, I swear.”
Taemin looked up at him. Like most of the people in line, he too had watched the girl pass, fascinated by her. “Who’s Imae?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m glad to see I have your attention,” Heechul scathed. “She’s this prissy girl in my year. She’s from the Cho family, Tae. Don’t talk to her, you hear me? We don’t associate with them.”
Heechul knew that Taemin was already aware of the Kim’s relationship with the Cho’s. The two were among the last and longest totally pure bloodlines in wizarding history, and they were by far the most rivaled towards each other. Everything was a competition, as far as they were concerned. Heechul didn’t want to admit it, but a very miniscule percent of his worry over Taemin’s magical ability had to do with the feud; he didn't think he could face Imae if Taemin hadn’t been accepted to Jae Neung, or worse, if he hadn’t been accepted anywhere. The younger generations weren’t sure when or how the feud started, but it was like their very blood trained them to be enemies.
Heechul had no doubt that Imae’s father had flashed his government credentials at the attendant to get special treatment. Her father was one of the top advisors to the President, her mother an executive in the most popular entertainment company in Korea. Heechul’s own parents were extremely well off as well: his father owned five of the most influential and lucrative businesses in Asia. His mother was extremely respected as the head of the Unspeakables branch in the Korean Embassy of Sorcery and Paranormal Natures and an established member of the Grand Sortiarius Council. They could easily have demanded Imae’s privileges and could have acquired them just as easily, but they had always been subtle about their status. They were never flashy, and although Heechul was sometimes flamboyant with his family’s place in society, he was continuously classy. That's just how they were raised.
The three of them finally made it up to the front of the security line, Heechul tossing Taemin’s suitcase on the scanning belt. There was a muffled squeak from inside, clearly a hoot from miniature GaYoung to let them know that she did not appreciate the way she was being handled. Heechul and Hankyung’s bags were loaded on as Heechul steered his brother in front of the security scanner. Taemin swallowed nervously. Heechul gave his shoulder a light squeeze.
The attendant smiled at Heechul. She was a witch that guarded the barrier every year, and after five of them she had come to know Hankyung and Heechul quite well. She had taken a fond liking to the two of them.
“Try not to alienate any more students, Heechul?” She smiled kindly at Taemin. “Look out for your brother, Taemin, he doesn't need any more enemies.”
Taemin looked at her in surprise. “How do you know my-“
Without warning, Heechul shoved him into the barrier. Taemin let out a startled shout, stumbling forward, but suddenly everything was silent, his shout reverberating back at him as if there was cotton in his ears. He felt a warmth wash over his fingertips, traveling over his outstretched arm and washing over him like a sheet of water. Whatever it was warmed his skin quite pleasantly, and there was a gentle hum in the charged atmosphere. The very air was an opaque, creamy white, and little glints of gold sparks showered around him, suspended. His skin tingled and shivered, like he had eaten a giant pack of this Muggle candy Pop Rocks, and they were bursting all through his body. It was quite pleasant, he thought. He didn't know how long it would last, but he closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. Maybe it will last forever, he wondered. A part of him thought that he wouldn't mind. And then, all of a sudden, the warmth was gone and sound returned with the sharp slap of his feet on the stone floor as he stumbled out the other side.
Taemin straightened up, bewildered, a chill running up his spine with the loss of the warmth. The noise was astounding, with bells and clattering and voices and all sorts of animal noises echoing around him, disorienting him. A faint sizzling sound issued behind him and he spun around to see Heechul stepping gracefully out of a shimmering, champagne-colored arch in the doorway of what looked like a gate. A foot materializing in it clearly belonged to Hankyung.
Fascinated, Taemin looked up and nearly fell over backwards, craning his neck to look up at the massive, black wrought-iron gate stretching towards the sky and out of his vision. It appeared to be never-ending, both vertically and horizontally. The curling patterns in the gate were both regal and almost sinister, the way a gate in front of an ancient manor would look.
To his left Taemin saw a small information booth protruding from the gate, the same black iron marking its walls. Inside were three attendants at their respective windows, each of them dressed in a cream-colored uniform with gold fastenings. The man at the far end of the booth had on the uniform shirt like his peers, but the rest of him ended in a horse’s deep chestnut body. He was a centaur. Taemin wasn’t surprised to see one, still having grown up around magic. He used to be fascinated by centaurs as a child and had always wanted to meet one. He stood on his toes to get a better view past the centaur’s window. He could see the glint of the long golden ribbons laced in his tail; somehow, the centaur made them look extremely masculine.
The sign above the information booth read in elaborate gold letters: Terminal Tweleven.
A hand clapped down on his shoulder and Taemin tore his eyes from the spectacular sights around him. Heechul was looking at him, a small smile tugging at his mouth. Hankyung was craning his neck in the opposite direction, looking for someone. Heechul’s face was a mix of amusement and something else Taemin couldn’t quite place.
“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” he said simply.
Taemin swallowed thickly and nodded. He had secretly dreamed of this moment for so long, and it was more beautiful and better than he had ever imagined.
“The transition to and from the terminal gets easier, it just takes practice,” Heechul assured him. Hankyung made a tutting sound in the back of his throat and nudged Heechul.
“What?” Heechul asked. “Have you found Siwon?”
“Yeah,” replied Hankyung pointing in a direction to his left, “but I don't think you’ll be very pleased with him.”
“Why, what is i-“ Heechul broke off into a scandalized gasp. Taemin followed his line of vision to find a rather tall and handsome boy talking to a delicate girl. The back of her head was lovely, her sleek hair morphing at the bottom into perfectly shaped curls…
The pair pivoted slightly, sending them into profile. Taemin knew at once why Heechul was still milking his gasp, drawing it into a breathless hiss of fury. The girl was none other than Cho Imae, the girl who had cut in front of the entire line of security. How could he forget a face like hers? As much as he was forbidden to admit it, he had never seen someone so…so…perfect. The three of them watched as Siwon laced his fingers with hers. Imae leaned up to whisper something in his ear and paused, smiling, as he whispered back. She giggled and pecked his cheek once before turning to rejoin her circle of friends, the plain one from before watching with the others in poorly concealed envy. Before she left, she looked over her shoulder at him, stuck out her hips, and bent down to retrieve her suitcase. Siwon’s eyes followed her the entire way. When she had straightened up, she fluttered her eyelashes at him and flounced gracefully away. Siwon couldn't stop staring, watching her as she went.
Heechul made another disgusted noise like he had back in the line. (He seemed to have a habit of doing this whenever he witnessed one of Imae’s displays). He straightened up and immediately stormed off in the direction of Siwon; Hankyung sighed wearily and followed.
“What the fucking hell do you think you’re doing?” Heechul said, stamping up to him. Siwon looked rather taken aback.
“Heechul, language, please-“
“Oh screw you, nancy boy,” continued Heechul, “what were you-“ he jabbed a finger in Siwon’s chest, “doing with Skank-a-Ho Imae?”
Hankyung mentally applauded Siwon. If Heechul had been fixing him with such a murderous stare, he certainly wouldn’t have held up so well. Siwon faltered a little, fiddling with his fingers.
“We…uh, well, we…the summer…there was…we…I-“ Siwon’s hands waved in the air, searching for words. When his airy, dismissal tone did nothing to reflect Heechul’s stare of daggers, Siwon finally cracked and spit it out. “Her…I…dating?” he offered hopefully. The hesitant smile on his face caused a surge of pity in Hankyung. Heechul’s wrath was imminent.
“You are what?” Heechul snapped in a voice of quiet calm. Siwon didn’t answer. Then, a look of horrified comprehension dawned over Heechul’s features. He pointed a finger at him dramatically. “Oh my god. Oh my god, she’s fucking you, isn’t she?”
“Heechul!” exclaimed a rather scandalized Siwon.
Heechul continued to rant, “That’s how she’s getting to you! You can’t do this to me, you filthy little traitor! Aren’t you supposed to be a Validus? Whatever happened to loyalty, what about being a good friend-oh no wait, that’s the Decori, isn’t it. You realize your names are one letter away from each other? That’s practically illegal, you pervert-“
“Heechul-I never-we didn't-!” Siwon tried to interject, but Hankyung shook his head sadly at him.
Heechul stopped, catching his breath, and glared at Siwon. Siwon blinked back. “We have some serious business to take care of.” He declared, and he took hold of his suitcase. “I’ll be in cabin three.” And he marched off without another word. Hankyung sighed and looked at Siwon.
Siwon shrugged. “She does this thing with her tongue-“
“Oh my god-“ Hankyung said, throwing up his hands, turning and stalking off towards the train of cabins. Siwon followed, yelling after him.
“I meant kissing, Hankyung! Han-Hankyung? Hankyung-“
--
When Heechul had stormed off to go badger Siwon, Taemin had been left quite alone. He stood there awkwardly for a few moments, smiling pleasantly, before a giggle to his left made him look over. A small group of girls were staring at him a few feet away, occasionally letting out a few bubbles of laughter, their mothers conversing behind them. Taemin smiled at them and raised his hand tentatively. They immediately started twittered madly. Feeling a little freaked out, he looked around for a mean of escape. He spotted a tall boy a little ways away, standing by himself, and he hurried over.
“Hi,” he said, coming up beside him. “I’m Taemin.”
The boy smiled kindly at him and took his outstretched hand. “Minho,” he answered, nodding. “First year?”
“Yeah,” Taemin replied, smiling ruefully. “Is it that obvious?”
“A bit,” said Minho. “But me too, so…” he broke off, shrugging.
Taemin stared at him. “You’re a first year? But…you’re so tall.”
Minho laughed. It was deep and melodious. Taemin suddenly felt rather small and skinny next to him. Great, he thought, I pick the one person who’s going to give me a complex. “Yeah, I get that a lot,” Minho said, nodding. “So, you ready to get on that thing?” he asked, nodding at the mass assembled in front of them.
Taemin looked at what he had indicated. He had been so overwhelmed after stepping at the Terminal archway that he had been too preoccupied to notice just how they were to be getting to the Academy. In front of him stretched an endless formation of what looked like giant golden pods. The formation was arranged in a gigantic V, exactly the way birds fly, Taemin noted. Each of the pods had two doors on the sides of them, if you could call them that. They were more like open archways, the insides obscured by that same opaque, glittery fog that filled the Terminal entrance. At the front, each one was inscribed with a number. They all gleamed peacefully in the daylight.
“What are they?” he asked Minho.
“They’re cabins, it’s how we get to the Academy,” the other boy replied.
“Er…do they…roll?” Taemin asked again. He was starting to feel sort of stupid. He wished Heechul had explained some of this to him, but every question he asked had just been answered with a ‘you’ll figure it out when it’s your turn’, and such.
Minho shook his head. “They fly.”
Taemin nearly choked on his tongue. “But…there aren’t any doors on them!”
Minho laughed lightly again. “There’s a sort of charm placed on the mist. You can visit the other pods, but you can’t fall out. My dad said it was put on in her fourth year. There used to be doors, but some kid jumped.” He shrugged.
Taemin looked at him, horrified.
“It’s okay, he didn’t get very far, the PA’s levitated him back up before any damage was done,” Minho explained, chuckling.
“PA?” questioned Taemin.
“Prior Avanti’s. There’s three of them, they’re the heads of the Avanti Team,” Minho continued, walking towards the cabins with Taemin. They were accompanied by most others on the platforms; it was nearing 10:30, when the Formation would depart. They walked along the right row of the V, trying to find an empty cabin. “The Avanti’s are a group of seven year students, handpicked by the Headmaster to lead the rest of the students in their house. There’s five Minor Avanti’s, three Prior’s. The Sector that has two of the Minor’s is more likely to get one to be a Prior, which is sort of an honor. The Sector that doesn't get a Prior is generally the least likely to win the Regalia at the end of the year.”
They found an empty cabin, Cabin Twenty-two, and climbed inside, hauling their suitcases after them. Immediately they expanded, Taemin’s trunk blooming into full size along with his school clothes and GaYoung, floating up to settle on the racks above the cushioned seat benches. Minho’s luggage did the same. They sat down opposite each other.
“The Regalia, I know about that,” Taemin said. He had been listening raptly to Minho explain, but now there was something he understood a little bit of. “Heechul won’t shut up about it whenever he gets back-“
“Your brother?” Minho prompted.
“Yeah,” sighed Taemin. “He’s really well known here, I’ll probably be in his shadow. He says he’s the reason they’ve won the Regalia three times in a row.” He rolled his eyes.
“What Sector is he in?” Minho asked.
“Validus,” Taemin responded. “He’s quite the oddball. Most of our family has been in Sententia, but he’s always one to start new trends. Our mother was so proud though, she said she’s always liked the Validi, says they’re good people.”
“I should hope so,” said Minho, “That’s the house my father was in.”
“And your mother?”
“Muggle,” said Minho proudly. “Best of both worlds, to be a half-blood.”
Taemin beamed at him. He agreed. Sometimes he wished he could get a closer look at the muggle world, but he knows he would never trade what he had, the unbreakable bond with his family, for it.
Just then there was a squabble of voices outside and a cluster of shadows moved in front of the charmed cabin door. Taemin and Minho looked at it blankly before a hand shot inside, groping around before it was followed by the body that owned it. A thin boy climbed inside the cabin, yanking his suitcase up behind him. He turned around, hand on his hips, continuing to bicker with the two upper halves of the people trying to cram themselves in at the same time. One of them elbowed the other in the ribs, who let out a pained 'oof' before stepping on his foot in retaliation. The other boy who had managed to pull himself inside shouted at the pair.
“Jonghyun knock it off and get inside before both of you are left in the Terminal, which would make my life a helluva lot easier and…regrettably quite a bit more boring.”
“Uh.” said Taemin eloquently.
“Oh, I’m sorry, you don’t mind do you? We were nearing the end of the line and most of the other cabins are rather cramped, we didn't want to get to the end and find them all full too,” the boy said apologetically.
Taemin shot a glace at Minho, who shrugged. He shook his head at the newcomer. “No, not at all.”
“Thanks,” the boy said breathlessly, pushing his hair out of his eyes and sitting across from him beside Minho. “I’m Kim Kibum, but call me Key,” he said, finally smiling and giving each of them a nod. The other two boys had finally gotten themselves inside and were now unzipping their suitcases and expanding the contents. A sleek white cat jumped out of one of them and into Taemin’s lap.
One of the boys walked over, picking up his cat and tucking it under his arm to extend a free hand to Taemin, who took it. “Onew,” he introduced himself, “Lee Jinki formally. Pleasure to meet you.” He sat down on Taemin’s right.
The other one sat on his left, Taemin scooting over to allow room. They all fit comfortably on the seat. They looked small from the outside, but the cabins were surprisingly (and most likely magically) roomy on the inside. They could stand up without brushing their heads on the roof, Minho included. The other boy introduced himself as Kim Jonghyun, a third year.
“I’m a second year,” announced Key proudly, “and Onew’s in Jonghyun’s year. Not the same Sector though, he’s a Decori.” Key pointed at Jonghyun. “He and I are Validi.” He puffed out his chest importantly.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a Decori!” Onew said sulkily.
“I didn’t say there was,” said Key.
“You said it weird-“
“There isn’t anything wrong with Decori, but there is something wrong about a third year not being able to levitate something without it ending up sticking out of some part of you-“ Jonghyun snickered.
“Oh come on that was one time and it was only a fork, you were hardly bleeding-“
Key rolled his eyes as the two began bickering again.
“I bet I’ll be a Validi, that's the house my dad was in,” said Minho.
“Oooh,” Key said, “You’ll really love it in our Sector, promise. Although there’s no guarantee that you’ll be in the Sector of your family, of course, but I really hope you make it. Validi have held the Regalia for the past three years.” He stuck his chest out even further.
“I don't know what Sector I’ll be in,” said Taemin dejectedly. A sinking feeling bubbled in his chest whenever anyone talked about Sector placement with conviction. “My brother’s the first one I know of to break out of our line. Normally everyone’s in Sententia.” He looked sadly at Minho. “If you get put in Validus, then I really won’t know anybody.” The thought scared him slightly. He had grown fond of Minho in his search for a companion, and felt that Minho had done the same.
“Oh no, we’re on really great terms with the Sentenius,” Jonghyun interjected. Apparently he and Onew had ended another squabble. “I’ve got loads of friends from that house, Decori too. Key has one or two pals from Acer, but I don't think they like me very much, Acers.”
“You’re too loud for them,” Key said matter-of-factly.
“Like you’re any different,” Jonghyun shot back, rolling his eyes.
“You said your brother was a Validi, right? What’s your surname?” asked Onew pleasantly.
“Kim,” replied Taemin.
“Wait, you’re a Kim? What line?” Jonghyun asked curiously.
Kim was a popular surname in Korea. The line of Taemin’s family had fractioned off somewhere near the top, practically untraceable. His relatives supposed there was a disagreement over sheep or something of the sort, and the family had split into five parties. It was common to see with some of the more major families, not just his own. Taemin knew the Park Family had six fractions, the Lee’s somewhere around eight, having split twice in two different era’s. Even Cho Imae’s family line wasn't solid, and three parties had been formed. It was something that they liked to hold over his own family, though; less fractions to them meant purer blood. It was completely unfounded, but they acted unbearably haughty nonetheless.
Taemin was part of the First Line of his family name. It was the more respected line. His line, for centuries, had never failed to produce a non-magical person. All of his relatives were purebloods as far as anyone could trace. The Fifth line had the least magical persons of all of them, most of them residing as Muggles in the outside world. There were quite a lot of Kim’s, after all.
“First line,” Taemin said.
“Woah, so you’re like, really well off, aren’t you?” asked Key. Taemin shrugged and nodded; personally he didn’t have much time for bloodlines or the wealth that came with them.
“Wait wait wait,” Jonghyun said loudly. “More importantly, if you’re a First Kim, your brother must be-“
“-Kim Heechul?” Key finished. “No way.”
“Oh come on, look at him, they’re practically identical-“
“-they look nothing alike-!”
“-wrong again, stupid-“
“Maybe the hair…” Onew cut in, inspecting Taemin skeptically.
“-shut up, Onew, you aren’t even in our Sector-“
Onew made a face at the pair of them. “Maybe not but I know who Kim Heechul is-“
“Hang on, you guys know my brother? What is he, famous or something?” Taemin scoffed jokingly. The noise cut off as the three older boys stopped trying to talk over each other. Jonghyun offered him an innocent, lopsided smile.
“Er…kind of?”
Taemin stared at them. “…Explain.”
Key cut in before anyone could say anything else. It was for the best, because if anyone was up to date on the Academy whos and whats, it was Key. “Everyone knows your brother,” he gushed. “He’s practically a school celebrity at the Academy. He’s just…one of those guys, you know? Not to mention the girls fawn over him, they all want to be his best friend, since none of them can date him-“
“Why can’t they?”
“Well, everyone thought he was gay for the longest time, until my cousin Jessica, she’s a transfer witch from the States, caught Hankyung kissing some girl in an empty classroom in the East Wing. It was quite the spectacle I hear.” Key sighed wistfully. “I wish I could have been there.”
Taemin felt rather confused. “What does Hankyung have anything to do with it?”
Onew grinned at him. “Your brother and Hankyung are inseparable, right?”
“Yeah…” said Taemin slowly, “but….they couldn't have thought…“
“Yep,” nodded Jonghyun.
Taemin wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Ew.” He had known Hankyung since he was little. He was the only son of the Chinese witch and wizard who lived in their town, and Heechul and him had been the best of friends at the age of five when Hankyung had crashed into him on his toy broomstick. They were in the same Sector together, and for most of the summer Hankyung could be found somewhere around the house with Heechul. Hankyung’s family wasn’t struggling, but they were quite a bit poorer than the Kim’s, so his family didn’t mind him spending time with Heechul, especially if it meant their son would have a nicer than nice meal every now and again.
“We all just put it down to high standards,” nodded Onew sagely.
Taemin looked across at Minho, who looked slightly overwhelmed upon suddenly learning that Taemin was a member of such a strong wizarding family, was wealthy, and had a semi-famous brother all in one go. Taemin would have said that he was nearly a Squib to put him at ease, but he had been forbidden by Heechul to say anything on the matter. Instead, Taemin shrugged self-consciously at him. Minho’s face broke into a smile and he shrugged back. I don't care, it seemed to say. Taemin couldn’t help but return his smile. Entering the Academy in such a big shadow, the best thing right now was someone who didn’t even see it. A surge of gratefulness burst in his chest. He was glad he had Minho.
The five of them passed the time in the cabin excitingly, Onew bringing out his pack of cards to play Exploding Snap. Just after noon, a ding sounded in the cabin and a window slid open on a wall behind one of the seat benches. A kind-looking witch was behind it.
“Anything to eat boys? It’s a long time before the Starting Banquet.”
They all got large plates of steaming Ddeokbokki, Taemin slipping the Lunch Witch a few extra Galleons for a side of seasoned beef to go with it. Onew and Key both got a handful of Shrill Whistles for later, small whistle-shaped suckers that made your voice steadily increase in octaves as you ate them. Jonghyun got a pack of Chocolate Frogs and bought Minho and Taemin each a Jelly Slug as a welcoming gift. Taemin and Minho split the cost of a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and Taemin took a chance on this sketchy looking taffy called a Wirecracker. It turned out that when you took a bite, you belched all types of miniature firecrackers, and Onew showed him how to blow rings of sparks with it if he wanted to instead. After they had finished eating, Onew got out his Charms book, burying himself in it as Key and Jonghyun started in on a game of wizard’s chess, Minho watching over Key’s shoulder. Taemin looked towards the shimmering doorways.
“You said you can visit the other cabins, right Minho?” he asked. Minho looked up and nodded. “How?”
“Who do you want to go see?” he asked.
“My brother.” Suddenly a thought occurred to Taemin. “Why, do I have to think of the particular cabin number?” His heart sank. He hadn’t thought of that. It wasn’t imperative that he see him for any matter, but he still wanted to visit him. For some inexplicable reason, he sort of missed his hyung’s pestering.
“No, you just step into the Medias Res, you’ll be able to find him from there.” Minho explained. He watched as Taemin stood up nervously. “Want me to come with?”
Taemin shook his head. “No, its okay. I just wish I wasn’t going into the dark with all of this. You’d think the son of an all-wizard family would know what he’s doing, huh?” He crossed over to the golden doorways, and took a deep breath. He stuck his hand out.
Immediately his arm was bathed in the same electric air. Taemin let out his breath with a relieved sigh but then caught it again in surprise. The warmth around his arm had fizzled away, leaving the cabin doorway clean and open. Out past it was a large circular room, it’s walls, ceilng, and floor made up of the same opaque mist that had obscured the doors. Taemin watched as a fifth-year girl stepped out of her cabin and onto the misty floor; with a thrill of horror he expected her to plummet straight through it (it was only mist, after all). Instead, her foot touched down immediately and she skipped across the circle to another cabin, waving away the door to it and climbing inside. The giggles of the girls within muffled as the doorway materialized back into place. Taemin looked up and saw a number in curly gold script inscribed in the smoke walls above it; it read Cabin 14.
The room was filled with the pleasant murmur of chatter, swelling in volume each time another door was opened or closed. People walked between cabins calmly, some accompanied by friends, and occasionally someone would run past, doors opening and shutting quickly as their pursuers laughed and waited to be let in again. Taemin tentatively stepped out of his own door; he put his toe down first, like a toddler testing the water of a swimming pool. He still didn't trust this floor; it’s not like a giant shimmering room could be levitating between the Formation in the sky, but wherever he was was somewhere in between the pods, somewhere linking them all together. In Medias Res.
His toe sunk through the haze of the golden flooring and Taemin’s heart quickly dropped into his stomach. He panicked, opening his mouth to let out a shout, his arms beginning to windmill, his body pitching forward. I am a Squib after all, Taemin thought wildly. Images of himself falling through the sky, buffeted about like a ragdoll flashed through his mind. What an awful way to die, he thought bitterly. But then less than a second later, his foot touched on rather solid ground.
Taemin looked down. There was a transparent smoke curling around his feet. He blinked at it. He stepped down with his other foot, another cloud ghosting across his shoes. Taemin took a few tentative steps forward, the smoke around his feet creating tiny puffs with each footfall. Taemin looked up and, now that he was actually in the Medias Res, it seemed a lot bigger. His eye caught another boy’s across the room, frozen in the same petrified position as he was. He smiled nervously at the boy. Nice to know he wasn’t the only first year struggling with this.
He looked behind him, into the cabin where the other four were watching him. He shot them a quick smile before waving his hand to the side. The opaque mist zoomed back into place. He blinked and moved his hand back. It waved away. He waved his hand back and forth slowly, the mist following it like a sliding door. The four inside watched him amusedly.
Oh. So that's how that works.
Taemin turned around and wandered into the middle of the Medias Res. He had no idea what cabin number his brother was in, so he wandered past them, listening to the voices inside them. Some of the conversations were quite colorful. Some of the doors had thin golden chains hung delicately between them. He walked along the walls of the room, checking the number of each cabin. It seemed that all the evens were on one half of the circle, the odds on the other, following the formation of the V. Taemin walked just more than halfway around the room, some people glancing at him through their open cabin doors, before he finally paused at one, Cabin 3, listening carefully. Inside, it sounded like someone was in pain. This was promising.
Just then, Heechul’s voice sounded through the door.
“Suck it up Siwon, this isn’t even the worst of it-“
Bingo.
Taemin waved his hand in front of the mist and it evaporated faithfully. Inside he saw Hankyung sitting on one of the seats, his wand out and tapping carefully at the pages of one of his textbooks. Opposite him was Siwon, hand clapped over his eyes, letting out pitiful wails of pain every few seconds. Between the two stood Heechul, wand out in front of him and pointed at Siwon’s foot. By the looks of it, he was royally pissed off.
“Break up with her.”
“Hee-ow-chul, I can’t, you-ouch-can’t tell me who to like, I-OUCH-“
“What’s going on?” Taemin asked Hankyung. Hankyung chuckled and motioned for him to sit.
“Heechul’s trying to force Siwon to break up with Cho Imae, that girl we told you about. They started dating at the end of this summer when their families met on a skiing trip in New Zealand.”
“They were skiing in the summer?”
“It’s winter there,” Hankyung explained. “Heechul was more concerned about the whole Imae business, though.”
“Hankyung, I thought I told you to lock the door,” Heechul sighed. Hankyung reached over and stuck his wand into the middle of the mist, turning his wrist. There was a faint clinking sound as the shadow of a thin golden chain snaked into place on the other side. So that's what that was.
“Hyung, what are you doing to Siwon-ssi?” Taemin asked. The older boy was practically flat on his back on the seat, his legs stretched out in front of him, jerking in pain every so often.
“Nothing major, just inflating his feet. It only hurts because I charmed his shoes to shrink at the same time.”
Taemin winced. Hankyung nodded. Siwon howled.
“Would you shut up, this is nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you back at the dorms, traitor,” Heechul scoffed. He gave his wand a particularly nasty flick, and Siwon let out a rather girlish sob.
Just then there was a knock at the cabin door. It sounded more like a bag of jingling change, because Taemin guessed that's what happened when you knocked on mist, but he didn't know what else to call it. A voice called through from the other side.
“Heechul?” it called. “Heechul, I need you to come to the Front Cabin with me. Why is this door locked? Anyways, come on out. Bring Siwon, too.”
Heechul looked up at the sound of the voice. He grumbled and swished his wand, Siwon’s legs relaxing as he did so. “See, all your twittering brought the Avanti’s around.”
“Really? That’s an Avanti?” Taemin asked. Heechul turned around to look at him, tucking his wand into the back pocket of his jeans.
“Yeah,” he staged-whispered, cupping a hand around his mouth. “And Eeteuk’s the worst one.”
“I heard that.” Came the dry reply from outside the door.
Heechul unlocked the door, waving it open. Siwon was gingerly trying to stand on his injured feet behind him. “What do you want?”
“I told you, you’re both wanted at the Front Cabin.” The boy who stood outside was dressed in his school robes already, a bright copper badge on the front of them inscribed with the words Minor Avanti on it. He was on the shorter side, his brown hair falling into his eyes, half of it pulled up into a small ponytail at the back of his head. He was looking wearily at Heechul as if he wanted to be summoning anyone but him, but he brightened up and smiled at Taemin upon spotting him. He had a nice smile, dimples at the side of his cheeks, and his eyes smiled too. Taemin smiled back. “You must be Heechul’s brother Taemin, right?”
“Oh stuff it, Eeteuk,” Heechul said, clambering past him. “I don't want you trying to convert my brother into your little Avanti club. Let’s just get this over with and see what I’m taking the heat for now.”
Eeteuk rolled his eyes. He waited for Siwon to climb out of the cabin, then shot a last smile at Taemin before shutting the door again.
Once outside, Heechul walked one cabin over, pausing impatiently for the other two. Eeteuk walked up, touching his wand to the door. The Front Cabin was locked in a special manner; only Avanti’s and other authorized faculty could gain access by wand and voice recognition.
“Intrare,” said Eeteuk. The door evaporated and the three of them climbed inside the Front Cabin.
Heechul looked around, rather bored. There was a boy he recognized from the Decorus Sector named Kim Jungmo, and another girl he knew from last year’s Potion’s class with the Sentenius, who’s name he knew to be Park Yoobin. There were three other people further away in the cabin (this one was considerably more roomy, complete with a table in the middle and a counter along part of the wall). One of them was talking to his fellow seventh year, the other girl turned away from all the others. Heechul paid her no mind. He walked up to the seventh years, grinning.
“Tablo!” he greeted him. He turned to the girl, giving her a wink. “EunHye, looking good.” She smiled and punched him in the arm. He pretended it didn't hurt. “So what’s all this about guys, I’ve been on the Formation for a few hours and I’m already in trouble?”
The boy named Tablo chuckled wryly at him. “No, not quite.”
Just then Eeteuk waved his arms and called for silence. They all turned to face him. He cleared his throat. “Alright, yes. Now to some of you, it may already be obvious why you’re here, and to others, this may come as a bit of an…” Eeteuk looked at Heechul, “unforeseen surprise. Well, yes, let’s get down to it. I’ve just been made Head of the Prior Avanti team and have just received word that this year I will coaching all of you to strive to do the same. As you know it is a great honor to-“
Heechul interrupted him loudly. “Wait wait wait, you can’t be serious, Eeteuk.” Those in the cabin turned to look at him. Tablo snickered in his had in the corner. “Me? As an Avanti? There has to be a mistake.”
Eeteuk looked like he privately agreed, but he shook his head. “No, once the parchment has been delivered it’s the final verdict.”
“Well, what if I don't want to be an Avanti?” Heechul immediately countered.
“I’m afraid you have no choice,” EunHye piped up, grinning at him. Heechul glared back at her and Tablo. Both of them looked like they were enjoying this immensely.
“She’s right, Heechul,” sighed Eeteuk.
“What about Siwon, he isn’t even of age, he’s only a fifth-year!”
“Siwon has a letter for him explaining his acceptance. I was briefed on it, outstanding performance, honorable demonstration of strong morality, stuff like that. It’s happened before, He just gets to be on for two years.”
“This is ridiculous.” deadpanned Heechul.
“Unfortunately yes,” said Eeteuk wearily. “And so, with that-“ He gave a flourish of his wand and copper badges sprung up on the robes of the four sixth-years and Siwon in the cabin. Eeteuk’s own badge on his chest turned into a shiny gold, the text now reading Prior Avanti, Tablo’s and EunHye’s following suit. “-I will see you all before the banquet to go over your Avanti duties. Dismissed.”
Heechul stared at him, dumbfounded. How could he have been made an Avanti? After all the trouble he’s caused at the school, he didn’t think someone was stupid enough to give him power, too. Apparently, he was wrong. He groped behind him for Siwon.
“Siwon? Siwo-“
Siwon was standing in the corner, conversing with the girl Heechul had dismissed, the two of them speaking in hushed tones. Heechul narrowed his eyes. The girl stood up on her toes, brushing her lips across Siwon’s. Siwon flushed ever so lightly in response.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Heechul said loudly.
Siwon looked up and groaned. He had clearly hoped he was being sneaky.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes,” said Heechul, nodding at him, twirling his wand between his fingers sinisterly. “Come on, Siwon, Hankyung is probably waiting for us.”
Imae leered at him, a manicured hand on Siwon’s arm. “Heechul, is it true?” she said, her voice low and nasty. “My father says your brother was nearly a Squib. Didn’t Show until the very last second.” She made an annoying clucking sound with her tongue. “What a shame.” Heechul stared at her, torn between hexing her throat shut or just punching her in the face, Muggle style.
“How about you keep your fat mouth shut, Imae?” Heechul spat back. “I know you've had so much practice stretching it open, but this isn’t the time or place for that.”
Imae looked as though Heechul had slapped her across the face. The voice inside his head crowed in triumph. Siwon looked between the two nervously, at Heechul’s terrifyingly icy expression and Imae’s livid glare. He leaned down, whispering a quick apology in her ear before walking over and bustling Heechul outside and into the neighboring cabin. Hankyung looked up as the pair of them immediately started arguing.
“Heechul, seriously, that was uncalled for-“
“Keep her away from me, Siwon, or I swear I’ll shove my wand so far up her plastic ass she’ll be spitting splinters-“
“What happened?” asked Hankyung. He stopped, spotting the badge on both of their chests. “No way. No way, you’ve been made Avanti's?”
Heechul threw himself in the seat next to Hankyung. “Yes, some idiot up there wants to torture me. Speaking of torture, Siwon will be having plenty tonight. The sickening display of puppy love over Slutmae-“
“She’s one too?” asked Hankyung. “Man, everyone’s been made an Avanti except me. Even Siwon is an Avanti.”
“I’m not surprised,” grumbled Heechul. He jerked his thumb over at Siwon. “Pussyfoot over there is such a goody-goody that he was chosen early, he has moral fiber-hey, where’s Taemin?” Heechul had just noticed the absence of his younger brother.
“He went back to his cabin with his friends,” said Hankyung to his book. He seemed to have gotten over the Avanti news fairly quickly and had resumed trying to make the ink in his book flash different colors.
“Well, it’s good he has friends at least,” Heechul said. “My baby brother, growing up…”
A cool female voice issued overhead. “Twenty minutes until Jae Neung Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. Twenty minutes.”
“Time to get changed,” sighed Hankyung. The three of them rummaged about the luggage racks over their seats, extracting their robes and pulling them on. They packed up all the things they had taken out during the trip: Hankyung threw his books back into his trunk, Heechul rolled up his copy of US Witchley, and Siwon put away the wand servicing kit from his parents. They settled down with around ten minutes to go until they were finally there. Heechul’s stomach grumbled. The Starting Banquet was always filled with the most amazing food. He was looking forward to the festivities, and even more so to the Sorting of Taemin. He couldn't wait to crawl into his four-poster and fall asleep, a full stomach and his brother in the dormitories below. He smiled to himself.
With five minutes to go, he remembered that before all of that, he’d have to suffer through Avanti duties. Somehow, this was only one person’s fault.
“Hey, Siwon. Are you quite attached to your fingernails?”
--
>>Next Chapter
Fandom: SM Town
Pairing: various
Word Count: 9,500
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Taemin is set to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Heechul, at the Jae Neung Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. He just didn't know how big his shoes were.
Genre: Humor, Crack, Action
A/N: its HP!AU! everyone party like a muggle! so i started writing again. i don't know where it came from. I don't have planned updates or anything, just posting as it comes. i hope it isn't too confusing. it is NOT Hogwarts. it is NOT Harry Potter's world. it is connected, and there are similarities, yes, like 4 "houses", but there will be no Voldermort, no idols as the characters, nothing. Cho Chang might make an appearance for humor reasons only and for a short time only, and that's it. so don't get on my case about copy shit.
also, Imae is NOT a mary sue, i hate them, and she is quite a bitch, so don't try to pin me with that, either.
kudos to schm0use for trying to prevent my fail, which so often likes to rear its ugly head.
“I…I don’t….understand…how can he be a…a…a…--“
“A Squib?” prompted Hankyung.
Heechul let out a scandalized gasp. “Don’t say that.” He whispered, fanning a hand at him.
“What?” said Hankyung, shrugging. “It’s clear that’s what he is, look at him, he can’t even summon a teaspoon, let alone his bottle-“
“No! No he can’t be a Squib. It’s impossible, my entire family is pureblood, our line has produced some of the best witches and wizards this nation has ever seen--” Heechul ranted, pacing around the living room desperately. His baby brother giggled happily to himself as various objects flew around the room following his hyung’s waving hands. His hair ruffled and he let out a particularly delighted squeal as a lamp narrowly missed the top of his head. Hankyung dove valiantly behind him, football-catching the rather unamused-looking grey cat zooming straight towards the fireplace.
“Heechul, would you be careful? You’re going to end up killing him if you-Heebum OUCH quit biti-OW.”
Heechul spun around to face Hankyung nursing his injured finger, his cat slinking away sullenly. “This is an outrage, Hankyung,” he said seriously. “This morning that brat Yesung from down the street shot a chicken straight through our open kitchen window. Yesung. If anyone should be a Squib, it should be him. His mother is the strangest Muggle I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Heechul walked over, picking up his baby brother and fixing him with a forlorn stare. “Oh Taemin. You’ll show some promise soon, won’t you?”
Taemin giggled again and grabbed Heechul’s bottom lip in one of his pudgy little fists. He pulled.
Hankyung let out a guffaw and was rewarded with a glare. “Lubblee.” Heechul responded.
--
Ten years later, Heechul was sleeping soundly in his bed. Hankyung was camped out on the floor next to him. Heechul had offered to assemble some of his things in a makeshift cot for him, but Hankyung refused and insisted that the floor was fine. Last time, the instant Heechul had fallen asleep, the hammock of sweaters had collapsed and Hankyung had had a sore temper and a sore ass in the morning.
Heechul rolled over, one arm flopping over the side of his bed. It smacked Hankyung square in the face, but neither of them woke up. He was just having a lovely dinner with Ahn Sohee, the youngest of The Wonder Witches, who he desperately worshiped, when all of a sudden, the bathroom down the hall exploded.
“Whazzafuja.” Hankyung stated, sitting bolt upright.
“What the FU-“ Heechul began. Just then, his door to his bedroom burst open and his mother rushed in. Heechul stared at her. She was drenched and there were bits of loofa tangled in her hair. She grinned at him ecstatically. “Mother. What.” He deadpanned.
“Heechul, it's the most wonderful thing-“ his mother gushed breathlessly. Her cheeks were a patchy pink, her eyes feverishly bright. “Taemin, it’s Taemin!”
Heechul took a second to process his mother’s words and then launched himself out of bed and down the hall, his mother and Hankyung in hot pursuit. He barreled past the door of the bathroom and froze. A skinny, eleven-year-old Taemin stood in what was left of the desecrated bathtub, his hands blocking self-consciously in front of him. He was stark naked, dripping just like his mother, and was still slightly soapy. An entire wall of the bathroom was gone, a cheery view of the garden where the toilet and sink used to be. There was a geyser of water shooting up from each of their respective spouts, flooding the floor and soaking the silver towels that had been shaken out of the cabinet. Taemin reached up a hand and quickly rubbed a few suds out of his eyes. He grinned nervously at his audience.
“What….happened?” choked Heechul. His mother pushed forward, grinning proudly at both her sons. Hankyung still stood shell-shocked in the doorway.
“I came in to put some towels away. The door wasn't locked, so I opened it and, well,” She beamed at Taemin with what looked like all the love and pride in the world. “I suppose I surprised him.”
Heechul strode forward, pausing before Taemin and staring at him. Then, without warning, he threw an arm around his neck and pulled him into an impossibly tight, suffocating hug. Taemin teetered forward awkwardly, hands clamped firmly in front of him. “I am so proud of you,” he sniffled thickly.
“Thanks, hyung,” Taemin replied, smiling brightly. “Uh….can I get dressed now?”
--
Twenty minutes and a lot of repairing magic later, the lavish kitchen of the Kim home was packed with at least seventeen people. Heechul’s mother, father, and Taemin were there, along with his older and rather successful sister, Heejin, who had Apparated from a Ministry of Magic meeting all the way in London. She had married one of the top wizards in the ministry and moved there, only three months after securing her job as an international affairs correspondent. She was also stunningly pretty. Heechul and her sustained a rather loving yet fierce rivalry.
Along with the rest of his immediate family were his posh aunt and uncle from Jeju, all four of his grandparents, three of his cousins, his batty great aunt once removed who Heechul had a rather fond liking for, and his father’s brother’s sister-in-law who, for some inexplicable and kind of creepy reason, looked almost exactly like Heejin, only less pretty than Heechul. He kind of hated her too, though less so. His mother was busy managing the numerous pots and pans making a celebratory dinner for her son’s birthday and first Showing of magic. Hankyung stood quietly in the corner by the cooler with Heechul, watching as everyone pined over Taemin, pulling at him and prodding.
“So does this mean he isn’t a-“
“A Squib?” Heechul finished. “No, of course not. Squibs don't annihilate their second floor bathroom. He’s so late though, I wonder if he’ll be accepted.”
Hankyung didn't have to ask what Heechul meant by ‘accepted’. Everyone already knew what they were waiting for. Heejin wouldn't have left unless it was something extremely important, and his grandfather on his mother’s side barely gets out of his armchair for dinner, let alone a pre-teen’s birthday party. No, the real reason his family had assembled was to await the owl that would let them all know whether or not Taemin would continue the long line of Kim’s who have attended Jae Neung Acadamy for Young Witches and Wizards.
Heechul’s stomach was doing back flips; what if they didn't register Taemin’s display of magical capabilities in time? Do they even wait for it to Show, or do they somehow already know who will be on the roster? (Heechul remembers some twat from his Defense Against the Dark Arts class bragging about how her ‘name had been down since birth’ (he had immediately snapped that being the first witch of your entire bloodline wasn’t anything to brag about, and she went rather quiet)).
The only thing Heechul had regretted in his sixteen years of life was his brother turning out as a-well, the way he had. The only thing he wanted more than a niffler taking a go at his sister’s belly button piercing was for Taemin to be more than just a disappointment to his family. When he was twelve, he had asked his mother if Taemin hadn’t been accidentally switched at birth with ‘some common muggle child’, despite the clear resemblance between them. Taemin had overheard, and even though it took them less than ten seconds to un-barricade his bedroom door, it had taken a week to get him to speak to him again. So now, looking at his family chattering to one another and cooing over his younger brother, Heechul’s nerves were on fire and he was more desperate than ever to see an owl come through that kitchen window and spare his brother from becoming the first wildly embarrassing disappointment of his family.
An hour or so went by, and Heechul’s heart sunk lower and lower with every glance at the clock. Soon, the afternoon sun started glowing gold with the passing of another day. Each time Heechul scanned the sky, his hand inched closer and closer to Hankyung’s until the Chinese kid was trying to pry his fingers out of his palm. Heechul could hear his breathing in his ears. It wasn’t going to happen. Taemin turned around and looked at him from the middle of the living room, and his smile was unsure.
THWACK.
Heechul’s head snapped forward as a strong wing smacked him square in the back of the head. He looked up, furious, as a huge Australian masked owl soared past, skimming the ceiling. He had opened his mouth to say something, but promptly shut it and re-gouged Hankyung’s hand as it dropped a thick letter, circled around, and flew back out of the house. Taemin caught it in his fingers gracefully, his mother stifling a squeal behind him. Taemin paused, and looked up. His eyes found Heechul’s. Heechul swallowed and inclined his head.
Taemin examined the envelope, a pale peach hue to the parchment. The golden ink addressed the letter to him, and the amber seal of the back held a crest he knew well. He slid a finger between the fold of the parchment and slowly cracked the wax on the back of the paper, reaching in and pulling out a letter. A second sheet fell to the floor, Heejin quietly moving to pick it up as Taemin’s eyes quickly scanned and locked on the message.
He gasped and clapped a hand to his mouth. Somehow, Heechul got to him first.
Hankyung couldn't help but smile as the mass of people in the living room slowly sunk to the floor, crying and hugging and best of all, laughing, in the fading light of the day.
--
“Taemin come on-“
Taemin’s arm was jerked forward painfully by his older brother and he stumbled along behind him, head turning every which way. They were in the Incheon airport in Seoul, which wasn't any place new to Taemin, but now that he knew he was about to get on the flight to the Academy, he couldn't help but wonder who else would be passing through the barrier with him. Heechul was practically dragging him behind him, Taemin in one hand and his small carry-on suitcase in his other.
To the untrained eyes of the Muggles, they looked like ordinary kids with a small suitcase each. The reality was that all of their things had been shrunken quite handily to fit into regular-looking suitcases. Heechul and Taemin’s silver accented trunks, Taemin’s owl GaYoung, Heechul’s cat Heebum, and their school clothes conveniently minimized into their bags, Hankyung’s second-hand trunk, school clothes, and his Mangshan Pitviper in his own.
Taemin’s arm was given another sharp tug and he moved a little faster. Heechul had become increasingly stricter towards him, probably because he didn’t feel so bad after learning his younger brother wasn't a Squib after all. After being officially recognized as a promising wizard, Taemin had lost out on a lot of pity perks, most of his special treatment evaporating over the night of his birthday, but he didn't mind. In his opinion, all of it was being traded for something better. He did wish Heechul would stop pushing him down the stairs to force him to levitate every now and then, but the more magic he showed, the less he was bothered the following week.
The three reached security and Heechul let go of Taemin. He sighed as he watched him squint at an eleven-year old girl holding on to her mother’s hand, obviously trying to spot some indication of magic on her. He gave up on him, turning instead to talk to Hankyung.
“How much time do we have left?”
“An hour. We’re good, don't worry.”
Heechul sighed again in relief. “I just don't want to be late, it’s his first time and I don't want him stuck in a cabin with someone like Yesung. That would be a flight from hell.” A woman walking past shot him a dirty glare. Hankyung recognized her as Yesung’s mother.
“His mom heard you,” he stated simply.
“Big load of Kimchi, I don't care,” Heechul snorted. Hankyung shrugged.
“-such a sweetheart, really, that Ahn So Hee. Mother told me that she specifically requested to room with me, which puts Ga Hee out of a bed, but that’s okay, nobody really likes her-“
Heechul and Hankyung turned around to see a girl stride past with a man who was obviously her father. The girl was petite with a thin frame, her sleek black hair tumbling over her shoulders before turning into perfect, just-the-right-size curls. Her pleated skirt was modest when paired with her pink cardigan, but there was an air about her that suggested otherwise. She reached up a delicate, manicured hand, flicking one of her Hollywood-curls over her shoulder primly. She had a friend with her, slightly plainer with less doll-like features, a small bandage over the bridge of her nose, not-so-subtly hiding a pimple. Her clothes weren’t as pristine either, her skirt longer, the cardigan traded for a tan sweater vest.
The party strolled up to the security station, and the girl’s father pulled out a small flip-book, flashing something at the attendant. She nodded and halted the line, motioning over two male guards who lifted the girls’ bags onto the security scanner belt. The attendant reached over and unclipped one of the belts that formed the lines and ushered the two girls forward. Just before she walked past the security frame, the girl who had spoken looked back and caught Heechul’s eye. She smirked nastily.
Heechul let out a loud snort of disgust. Several people turned to look at him. He glared at them, then ignored them to complain to Hankyung. “That Imae thinks the world revolves around her, I swear.”
Taemin looked up at him. Like most of the people in line, he too had watched the girl pass, fascinated by her. “Who’s Imae?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m glad to see I have your attention,” Heechul scathed. “She’s this prissy girl in my year. She’s from the Cho family, Tae. Don’t talk to her, you hear me? We don’t associate with them.”
Heechul knew that Taemin was already aware of the Kim’s relationship with the Cho’s. The two were among the last and longest totally pure bloodlines in wizarding history, and they were by far the most rivaled towards each other. Everything was a competition, as far as they were concerned. Heechul didn’t want to admit it, but a very miniscule percent of his worry over Taemin’s magical ability had to do with the feud; he didn't think he could face Imae if Taemin hadn’t been accepted to Jae Neung, or worse, if he hadn’t been accepted anywhere. The younger generations weren’t sure when or how the feud started, but it was like their very blood trained them to be enemies.
Heechul had no doubt that Imae’s father had flashed his government credentials at the attendant to get special treatment. Her father was one of the top advisors to the President, her mother an executive in the most popular entertainment company in Korea. Heechul’s own parents were extremely well off as well: his father owned five of the most influential and lucrative businesses in Asia. His mother was extremely respected as the head of the Unspeakables branch in the Korean Embassy of Sorcery and Paranormal Natures and an established member of the Grand Sortiarius Council. They could easily have demanded Imae’s privileges and could have acquired them just as easily, but they had always been subtle about their status. They were never flashy, and although Heechul was sometimes flamboyant with his family’s place in society, he was continuously classy. That's just how they were raised.
The three of them finally made it up to the front of the security line, Heechul tossing Taemin’s suitcase on the scanning belt. There was a muffled squeak from inside, clearly a hoot from miniature GaYoung to let them know that she did not appreciate the way she was being handled. Heechul and Hankyung’s bags were loaded on as Heechul steered his brother in front of the security scanner. Taemin swallowed nervously. Heechul gave his shoulder a light squeeze.
The attendant smiled at Heechul. She was a witch that guarded the barrier every year, and after five of them she had come to know Hankyung and Heechul quite well. She had taken a fond liking to the two of them.
“Try not to alienate any more students, Heechul?” She smiled kindly at Taemin. “Look out for your brother, Taemin, he doesn't need any more enemies.”
Taemin looked at her in surprise. “How do you know my-“
Without warning, Heechul shoved him into the barrier. Taemin let out a startled shout, stumbling forward, but suddenly everything was silent, his shout reverberating back at him as if there was cotton in his ears. He felt a warmth wash over his fingertips, traveling over his outstretched arm and washing over him like a sheet of water. Whatever it was warmed his skin quite pleasantly, and there was a gentle hum in the charged atmosphere. The very air was an opaque, creamy white, and little glints of gold sparks showered around him, suspended. His skin tingled and shivered, like he had eaten a giant pack of this Muggle candy Pop Rocks, and they were bursting all through his body. It was quite pleasant, he thought. He didn't know how long it would last, but he closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. Maybe it will last forever, he wondered. A part of him thought that he wouldn't mind. And then, all of a sudden, the warmth was gone and sound returned with the sharp slap of his feet on the stone floor as he stumbled out the other side.
Taemin straightened up, bewildered, a chill running up his spine with the loss of the warmth. The noise was astounding, with bells and clattering and voices and all sorts of animal noises echoing around him, disorienting him. A faint sizzling sound issued behind him and he spun around to see Heechul stepping gracefully out of a shimmering, champagne-colored arch in the doorway of what looked like a gate. A foot materializing in it clearly belonged to Hankyung.
Fascinated, Taemin looked up and nearly fell over backwards, craning his neck to look up at the massive, black wrought-iron gate stretching towards the sky and out of his vision. It appeared to be never-ending, both vertically and horizontally. The curling patterns in the gate were both regal and almost sinister, the way a gate in front of an ancient manor would look.
To his left Taemin saw a small information booth protruding from the gate, the same black iron marking its walls. Inside were three attendants at their respective windows, each of them dressed in a cream-colored uniform with gold fastenings. The man at the far end of the booth had on the uniform shirt like his peers, but the rest of him ended in a horse’s deep chestnut body. He was a centaur. Taemin wasn’t surprised to see one, still having grown up around magic. He used to be fascinated by centaurs as a child and had always wanted to meet one. He stood on his toes to get a better view past the centaur’s window. He could see the glint of the long golden ribbons laced in his tail; somehow, the centaur made them look extremely masculine.
The sign above the information booth read in elaborate gold letters: Terminal Tweleven.
A hand clapped down on his shoulder and Taemin tore his eyes from the spectacular sights around him. Heechul was looking at him, a small smile tugging at his mouth. Hankyung was craning his neck in the opposite direction, looking for someone. Heechul’s face was a mix of amusement and something else Taemin couldn’t quite place.
“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” he said simply.
Taemin swallowed thickly and nodded. He had secretly dreamed of this moment for so long, and it was more beautiful and better than he had ever imagined.
“The transition to and from the terminal gets easier, it just takes practice,” Heechul assured him. Hankyung made a tutting sound in the back of his throat and nudged Heechul.
“What?” Heechul asked. “Have you found Siwon?”
“Yeah,” replied Hankyung pointing in a direction to his left, “but I don't think you’ll be very pleased with him.”
“Why, what is i-“ Heechul broke off into a scandalized gasp. Taemin followed his line of vision to find a rather tall and handsome boy talking to a delicate girl. The back of her head was lovely, her sleek hair morphing at the bottom into perfectly shaped curls…
The pair pivoted slightly, sending them into profile. Taemin knew at once why Heechul was still milking his gasp, drawing it into a breathless hiss of fury. The girl was none other than Cho Imae, the girl who had cut in front of the entire line of security. How could he forget a face like hers? As much as he was forbidden to admit it, he had never seen someone so…so…perfect. The three of them watched as Siwon laced his fingers with hers. Imae leaned up to whisper something in his ear and paused, smiling, as he whispered back. She giggled and pecked his cheek once before turning to rejoin her circle of friends, the plain one from before watching with the others in poorly concealed envy. Before she left, she looked over her shoulder at him, stuck out her hips, and bent down to retrieve her suitcase. Siwon’s eyes followed her the entire way. When she had straightened up, she fluttered her eyelashes at him and flounced gracefully away. Siwon couldn't stop staring, watching her as she went.
Heechul made another disgusted noise like he had back in the line. (He seemed to have a habit of doing this whenever he witnessed one of Imae’s displays). He straightened up and immediately stormed off in the direction of Siwon; Hankyung sighed wearily and followed.
“What the fucking hell do you think you’re doing?” Heechul said, stamping up to him. Siwon looked rather taken aback.
“Heechul, language, please-“
“Oh screw you, nancy boy,” continued Heechul, “what were you-“ he jabbed a finger in Siwon’s chest, “doing with Skank-a-Ho Imae?”
Hankyung mentally applauded Siwon. If Heechul had been fixing him with such a murderous stare, he certainly wouldn’t have held up so well. Siwon faltered a little, fiddling with his fingers.
“We…uh, well, we…the summer…there was…we…I-“ Siwon’s hands waved in the air, searching for words. When his airy, dismissal tone did nothing to reflect Heechul’s stare of daggers, Siwon finally cracked and spit it out. “Her…I…dating?” he offered hopefully. The hesitant smile on his face caused a surge of pity in Hankyung. Heechul’s wrath was imminent.
“You are what?” Heechul snapped in a voice of quiet calm. Siwon didn’t answer. Then, a look of horrified comprehension dawned over Heechul’s features. He pointed a finger at him dramatically. “Oh my god. Oh my god, she’s fucking you, isn’t she?”
“Heechul!” exclaimed a rather scandalized Siwon.
Heechul continued to rant, “That’s how she’s getting to you! You can’t do this to me, you filthy little traitor! Aren’t you supposed to be a Validus? Whatever happened to loyalty, what about being a good friend-oh no wait, that’s the Decori, isn’t it. You realize your names are one letter away from each other? That’s practically illegal, you pervert-“
“Heechul-I never-we didn't-!” Siwon tried to interject, but Hankyung shook his head sadly at him.
Heechul stopped, catching his breath, and glared at Siwon. Siwon blinked back. “We have some serious business to take care of.” He declared, and he took hold of his suitcase. “I’ll be in cabin three.” And he marched off without another word. Hankyung sighed and looked at Siwon.
Siwon shrugged. “She does this thing with her tongue-“
“Oh my god-“ Hankyung said, throwing up his hands, turning and stalking off towards the train of cabins. Siwon followed, yelling after him.
“I meant kissing, Hankyung! Han-Hankyung? Hankyung-“
--
When Heechul had stormed off to go badger Siwon, Taemin had been left quite alone. He stood there awkwardly for a few moments, smiling pleasantly, before a giggle to his left made him look over. A small group of girls were staring at him a few feet away, occasionally letting out a few bubbles of laughter, their mothers conversing behind them. Taemin smiled at them and raised his hand tentatively. They immediately started twittered madly. Feeling a little freaked out, he looked around for a mean of escape. He spotted a tall boy a little ways away, standing by himself, and he hurried over.
“Hi,” he said, coming up beside him. “I’m Taemin.”
The boy smiled kindly at him and took his outstretched hand. “Minho,” he answered, nodding. “First year?”
“Yeah,” Taemin replied, smiling ruefully. “Is it that obvious?”
“A bit,” said Minho. “But me too, so…” he broke off, shrugging.
Taemin stared at him. “You’re a first year? But…you’re so tall.”
Minho laughed. It was deep and melodious. Taemin suddenly felt rather small and skinny next to him. Great, he thought, I pick the one person who’s going to give me a complex. “Yeah, I get that a lot,” Minho said, nodding. “So, you ready to get on that thing?” he asked, nodding at the mass assembled in front of them.
Taemin looked at what he had indicated. He had been so overwhelmed after stepping at the Terminal archway that he had been too preoccupied to notice just how they were to be getting to the Academy. In front of him stretched an endless formation of what looked like giant golden pods. The formation was arranged in a gigantic V, exactly the way birds fly, Taemin noted. Each of the pods had two doors on the sides of them, if you could call them that. They were more like open archways, the insides obscured by that same opaque, glittery fog that filled the Terminal entrance. At the front, each one was inscribed with a number. They all gleamed peacefully in the daylight.
“What are they?” he asked Minho.
“They’re cabins, it’s how we get to the Academy,” the other boy replied.
“Er…do they…roll?” Taemin asked again. He was starting to feel sort of stupid. He wished Heechul had explained some of this to him, but every question he asked had just been answered with a ‘you’ll figure it out when it’s your turn’, and such.
Minho shook his head. “They fly.”
Taemin nearly choked on his tongue. “But…there aren’t any doors on them!”
Minho laughed lightly again. “There’s a sort of charm placed on the mist. You can visit the other pods, but you can’t fall out. My dad said it was put on in her fourth year. There used to be doors, but some kid jumped.” He shrugged.
Taemin looked at him, horrified.
“It’s okay, he didn’t get very far, the PA’s levitated him back up before any damage was done,” Minho explained, chuckling.
“PA?” questioned Taemin.
“Prior Avanti’s. There’s three of them, they’re the heads of the Avanti Team,” Minho continued, walking towards the cabins with Taemin. They were accompanied by most others on the platforms; it was nearing 10:30, when the Formation would depart. They walked along the right row of the V, trying to find an empty cabin. “The Avanti’s are a group of seven year students, handpicked by the Headmaster to lead the rest of the students in their house. There’s five Minor Avanti’s, three Prior’s. The Sector that has two of the Minor’s is more likely to get one to be a Prior, which is sort of an honor. The Sector that doesn't get a Prior is generally the least likely to win the Regalia at the end of the year.”
They found an empty cabin, Cabin Twenty-two, and climbed inside, hauling their suitcases after them. Immediately they expanded, Taemin’s trunk blooming into full size along with his school clothes and GaYoung, floating up to settle on the racks above the cushioned seat benches. Minho’s luggage did the same. They sat down opposite each other.
“The Regalia, I know about that,” Taemin said. He had been listening raptly to Minho explain, but now there was something he understood a little bit of. “Heechul won’t shut up about it whenever he gets back-“
“Your brother?” Minho prompted.
“Yeah,” sighed Taemin. “He’s really well known here, I’ll probably be in his shadow. He says he’s the reason they’ve won the Regalia three times in a row.” He rolled his eyes.
“What Sector is he in?” Minho asked.
“Validus,” Taemin responded. “He’s quite the oddball. Most of our family has been in Sententia, but he’s always one to start new trends. Our mother was so proud though, she said she’s always liked the Validi, says they’re good people.”
“I should hope so,” said Minho, “That’s the house my father was in.”
“And your mother?”
“Muggle,” said Minho proudly. “Best of both worlds, to be a half-blood.”
Taemin beamed at him. He agreed. Sometimes he wished he could get a closer look at the muggle world, but he knows he would never trade what he had, the unbreakable bond with his family, for it.
Just then there was a squabble of voices outside and a cluster of shadows moved in front of the charmed cabin door. Taemin and Minho looked at it blankly before a hand shot inside, groping around before it was followed by the body that owned it. A thin boy climbed inside the cabin, yanking his suitcase up behind him. He turned around, hand on his hips, continuing to bicker with the two upper halves of the people trying to cram themselves in at the same time. One of them elbowed the other in the ribs, who let out a pained 'oof' before stepping on his foot in retaliation. The other boy who had managed to pull himself inside shouted at the pair.
“Jonghyun knock it off and get inside before both of you are left in the Terminal, which would make my life a helluva lot easier and…regrettably quite a bit more boring.”
“Uh.” said Taemin eloquently.
“Oh, I’m sorry, you don’t mind do you? We were nearing the end of the line and most of the other cabins are rather cramped, we didn't want to get to the end and find them all full too,” the boy said apologetically.
Taemin shot a glace at Minho, who shrugged. He shook his head at the newcomer. “No, not at all.”
“Thanks,” the boy said breathlessly, pushing his hair out of his eyes and sitting across from him beside Minho. “I’m Kim Kibum, but call me Key,” he said, finally smiling and giving each of them a nod. The other two boys had finally gotten themselves inside and were now unzipping their suitcases and expanding the contents. A sleek white cat jumped out of one of them and into Taemin’s lap.
One of the boys walked over, picking up his cat and tucking it under his arm to extend a free hand to Taemin, who took it. “Onew,” he introduced himself, “Lee Jinki formally. Pleasure to meet you.” He sat down on Taemin’s right.
The other one sat on his left, Taemin scooting over to allow room. They all fit comfortably on the seat. They looked small from the outside, but the cabins were surprisingly (and most likely magically) roomy on the inside. They could stand up without brushing their heads on the roof, Minho included. The other boy introduced himself as Kim Jonghyun, a third year.
“I’m a second year,” announced Key proudly, “and Onew’s in Jonghyun’s year. Not the same Sector though, he’s a Decori.” Key pointed at Jonghyun. “He and I are Validi.” He puffed out his chest importantly.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a Decori!” Onew said sulkily.
“I didn’t say there was,” said Key.
“You said it weird-“
“There isn’t anything wrong with Decori, but there is something wrong about a third year not being able to levitate something without it ending up sticking out of some part of you-“ Jonghyun snickered.
“Oh come on that was one time and it was only a fork, you were hardly bleeding-“
Key rolled his eyes as the two began bickering again.
“I bet I’ll be a Validi, that's the house my dad was in,” said Minho.
“Oooh,” Key said, “You’ll really love it in our Sector, promise. Although there’s no guarantee that you’ll be in the Sector of your family, of course, but I really hope you make it. Validi have held the Regalia for the past three years.” He stuck his chest out even further.
“I don't know what Sector I’ll be in,” said Taemin dejectedly. A sinking feeling bubbled in his chest whenever anyone talked about Sector placement with conviction. “My brother’s the first one I know of to break out of our line. Normally everyone’s in Sententia.” He looked sadly at Minho. “If you get put in Validus, then I really won’t know anybody.” The thought scared him slightly. He had grown fond of Minho in his search for a companion, and felt that Minho had done the same.
“Oh no, we’re on really great terms with the Sentenius,” Jonghyun interjected. Apparently he and Onew had ended another squabble. “I’ve got loads of friends from that house, Decori too. Key has one or two pals from Acer, but I don't think they like me very much, Acers.”
“You’re too loud for them,” Key said matter-of-factly.
“Like you’re any different,” Jonghyun shot back, rolling his eyes.
“You said your brother was a Validi, right? What’s your surname?” asked Onew pleasantly.
“Kim,” replied Taemin.
“Wait, you’re a Kim? What line?” Jonghyun asked curiously.
Kim was a popular surname in Korea. The line of Taemin’s family had fractioned off somewhere near the top, practically untraceable. His relatives supposed there was a disagreement over sheep or something of the sort, and the family had split into five parties. It was common to see with some of the more major families, not just his own. Taemin knew the Park Family had six fractions, the Lee’s somewhere around eight, having split twice in two different era’s. Even Cho Imae’s family line wasn't solid, and three parties had been formed. It was something that they liked to hold over his own family, though; less fractions to them meant purer blood. It was completely unfounded, but they acted unbearably haughty nonetheless.
Taemin was part of the First Line of his family name. It was the more respected line. His line, for centuries, had never failed to produce a non-magical person. All of his relatives were purebloods as far as anyone could trace. The Fifth line had the least magical persons of all of them, most of them residing as Muggles in the outside world. There were quite a lot of Kim’s, after all.
“First line,” Taemin said.
“Woah, so you’re like, really well off, aren’t you?” asked Key. Taemin shrugged and nodded; personally he didn’t have much time for bloodlines or the wealth that came with them.
“Wait wait wait,” Jonghyun said loudly. “More importantly, if you’re a First Kim, your brother must be-“
“-Kim Heechul?” Key finished. “No way.”
“Oh come on, look at him, they’re practically identical-“
“-they look nothing alike-!”
“-wrong again, stupid-“
“Maybe the hair…” Onew cut in, inspecting Taemin skeptically.
“-shut up, Onew, you aren’t even in our Sector-“
Onew made a face at the pair of them. “Maybe not but I know who Kim Heechul is-“
“Hang on, you guys know my brother? What is he, famous or something?” Taemin scoffed jokingly. The noise cut off as the three older boys stopped trying to talk over each other. Jonghyun offered him an innocent, lopsided smile.
“Er…kind of?”
Taemin stared at them. “…Explain.”
Key cut in before anyone could say anything else. It was for the best, because if anyone was up to date on the Academy whos and whats, it was Key. “Everyone knows your brother,” he gushed. “He’s practically a school celebrity at the Academy. He’s just…one of those guys, you know? Not to mention the girls fawn over him, they all want to be his best friend, since none of them can date him-“
“Why can’t they?”
“Well, everyone thought he was gay for the longest time, until my cousin Jessica, she’s a transfer witch from the States, caught Hankyung kissing some girl in an empty classroom in the East Wing. It was quite the spectacle I hear.” Key sighed wistfully. “I wish I could have been there.”
Taemin felt rather confused. “What does Hankyung have anything to do with it?”
Onew grinned at him. “Your brother and Hankyung are inseparable, right?”
“Yeah…” said Taemin slowly, “but….they couldn't have thought…“
“Yep,” nodded Jonghyun.
Taemin wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Ew.” He had known Hankyung since he was little. He was the only son of the Chinese witch and wizard who lived in their town, and Heechul and him had been the best of friends at the age of five when Hankyung had crashed into him on his toy broomstick. They were in the same Sector together, and for most of the summer Hankyung could be found somewhere around the house with Heechul. Hankyung’s family wasn’t struggling, but they were quite a bit poorer than the Kim’s, so his family didn’t mind him spending time with Heechul, especially if it meant their son would have a nicer than nice meal every now and again.
“We all just put it down to high standards,” nodded Onew sagely.
Taemin looked across at Minho, who looked slightly overwhelmed upon suddenly learning that Taemin was a member of such a strong wizarding family, was wealthy, and had a semi-famous brother all in one go. Taemin would have said that he was nearly a Squib to put him at ease, but he had been forbidden by Heechul to say anything on the matter. Instead, Taemin shrugged self-consciously at him. Minho’s face broke into a smile and he shrugged back. I don't care, it seemed to say. Taemin couldn’t help but return his smile. Entering the Academy in such a big shadow, the best thing right now was someone who didn’t even see it. A surge of gratefulness burst in his chest. He was glad he had Minho.
The five of them passed the time in the cabin excitingly, Onew bringing out his pack of cards to play Exploding Snap. Just after noon, a ding sounded in the cabin and a window slid open on a wall behind one of the seat benches. A kind-looking witch was behind it.
“Anything to eat boys? It’s a long time before the Starting Banquet.”
They all got large plates of steaming Ddeokbokki, Taemin slipping the Lunch Witch a few extra Galleons for a side of seasoned beef to go with it. Onew and Key both got a handful of Shrill Whistles for later, small whistle-shaped suckers that made your voice steadily increase in octaves as you ate them. Jonghyun got a pack of Chocolate Frogs and bought Minho and Taemin each a Jelly Slug as a welcoming gift. Taemin and Minho split the cost of a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and Taemin took a chance on this sketchy looking taffy called a Wirecracker. It turned out that when you took a bite, you belched all types of miniature firecrackers, and Onew showed him how to blow rings of sparks with it if he wanted to instead. After they had finished eating, Onew got out his Charms book, burying himself in it as Key and Jonghyun started in on a game of wizard’s chess, Minho watching over Key’s shoulder. Taemin looked towards the shimmering doorways.
“You said you can visit the other cabins, right Minho?” he asked. Minho looked up and nodded. “How?”
“Who do you want to go see?” he asked.
“My brother.” Suddenly a thought occurred to Taemin. “Why, do I have to think of the particular cabin number?” His heart sank. He hadn’t thought of that. It wasn’t imperative that he see him for any matter, but he still wanted to visit him. For some inexplicable reason, he sort of missed his hyung’s pestering.
“No, you just step into the Medias Res, you’ll be able to find him from there.” Minho explained. He watched as Taemin stood up nervously. “Want me to come with?”
Taemin shook his head. “No, its okay. I just wish I wasn’t going into the dark with all of this. You’d think the son of an all-wizard family would know what he’s doing, huh?” He crossed over to the golden doorways, and took a deep breath. He stuck his hand out.
Immediately his arm was bathed in the same electric air. Taemin let out his breath with a relieved sigh but then caught it again in surprise. The warmth around his arm had fizzled away, leaving the cabin doorway clean and open. Out past it was a large circular room, it’s walls, ceilng, and floor made up of the same opaque mist that had obscured the doors. Taemin watched as a fifth-year girl stepped out of her cabin and onto the misty floor; with a thrill of horror he expected her to plummet straight through it (it was only mist, after all). Instead, her foot touched down immediately and she skipped across the circle to another cabin, waving away the door to it and climbing inside. The giggles of the girls within muffled as the doorway materialized back into place. Taemin looked up and saw a number in curly gold script inscribed in the smoke walls above it; it read Cabin 14.
The room was filled with the pleasant murmur of chatter, swelling in volume each time another door was opened or closed. People walked between cabins calmly, some accompanied by friends, and occasionally someone would run past, doors opening and shutting quickly as their pursuers laughed and waited to be let in again. Taemin tentatively stepped out of his own door; he put his toe down first, like a toddler testing the water of a swimming pool. He still didn't trust this floor; it’s not like a giant shimmering room could be levitating between the Formation in the sky, but wherever he was was somewhere in between the pods, somewhere linking them all together. In Medias Res.
His toe sunk through the haze of the golden flooring and Taemin’s heart quickly dropped into his stomach. He panicked, opening his mouth to let out a shout, his arms beginning to windmill, his body pitching forward. I am a Squib after all, Taemin thought wildly. Images of himself falling through the sky, buffeted about like a ragdoll flashed through his mind. What an awful way to die, he thought bitterly. But then less than a second later, his foot touched on rather solid ground.
Taemin looked down. There was a transparent smoke curling around his feet. He blinked at it. He stepped down with his other foot, another cloud ghosting across his shoes. Taemin took a few tentative steps forward, the smoke around his feet creating tiny puffs with each footfall. Taemin looked up and, now that he was actually in the Medias Res, it seemed a lot bigger. His eye caught another boy’s across the room, frozen in the same petrified position as he was. He smiled nervously at the boy. Nice to know he wasn’t the only first year struggling with this.
He looked behind him, into the cabin where the other four were watching him. He shot them a quick smile before waving his hand to the side. The opaque mist zoomed back into place. He blinked and moved his hand back. It waved away. He waved his hand back and forth slowly, the mist following it like a sliding door. The four inside watched him amusedly.
Oh. So that's how that works.
Taemin turned around and wandered into the middle of the Medias Res. He had no idea what cabin number his brother was in, so he wandered past them, listening to the voices inside them. Some of the conversations were quite colorful. Some of the doors had thin golden chains hung delicately between them. He walked along the walls of the room, checking the number of each cabin. It seemed that all the evens were on one half of the circle, the odds on the other, following the formation of the V. Taemin walked just more than halfway around the room, some people glancing at him through their open cabin doors, before he finally paused at one, Cabin 3, listening carefully. Inside, it sounded like someone was in pain. This was promising.
Just then, Heechul’s voice sounded through the door.
“Suck it up Siwon, this isn’t even the worst of it-“
Bingo.
Taemin waved his hand in front of the mist and it evaporated faithfully. Inside he saw Hankyung sitting on one of the seats, his wand out and tapping carefully at the pages of one of his textbooks. Opposite him was Siwon, hand clapped over his eyes, letting out pitiful wails of pain every few seconds. Between the two stood Heechul, wand out in front of him and pointed at Siwon’s foot. By the looks of it, he was royally pissed off.
“Break up with her.”
“Hee-ow-chul, I can’t, you-ouch-can’t tell me who to like, I-OUCH-“
“What’s going on?” Taemin asked Hankyung. Hankyung chuckled and motioned for him to sit.
“Heechul’s trying to force Siwon to break up with Cho Imae, that girl we told you about. They started dating at the end of this summer when their families met on a skiing trip in New Zealand.”
“They were skiing in the summer?”
“It’s winter there,” Hankyung explained. “Heechul was more concerned about the whole Imae business, though.”
“Hankyung, I thought I told you to lock the door,” Heechul sighed. Hankyung reached over and stuck his wand into the middle of the mist, turning his wrist. There was a faint clinking sound as the shadow of a thin golden chain snaked into place on the other side. So that's what that was.
“Hyung, what are you doing to Siwon-ssi?” Taemin asked. The older boy was practically flat on his back on the seat, his legs stretched out in front of him, jerking in pain every so often.
“Nothing major, just inflating his feet. It only hurts because I charmed his shoes to shrink at the same time.”
Taemin winced. Hankyung nodded. Siwon howled.
“Would you shut up, this is nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you back at the dorms, traitor,” Heechul scoffed. He gave his wand a particularly nasty flick, and Siwon let out a rather girlish sob.
Just then there was a knock at the cabin door. It sounded more like a bag of jingling change, because Taemin guessed that's what happened when you knocked on mist, but he didn't know what else to call it. A voice called through from the other side.
“Heechul?” it called. “Heechul, I need you to come to the Front Cabin with me. Why is this door locked? Anyways, come on out. Bring Siwon, too.”
Heechul looked up at the sound of the voice. He grumbled and swished his wand, Siwon’s legs relaxing as he did so. “See, all your twittering brought the Avanti’s around.”
“Really? That’s an Avanti?” Taemin asked. Heechul turned around to look at him, tucking his wand into the back pocket of his jeans.
“Yeah,” he staged-whispered, cupping a hand around his mouth. “And Eeteuk’s the worst one.”
“I heard that.” Came the dry reply from outside the door.
Heechul unlocked the door, waving it open. Siwon was gingerly trying to stand on his injured feet behind him. “What do you want?”
“I told you, you’re both wanted at the Front Cabin.” The boy who stood outside was dressed in his school robes already, a bright copper badge on the front of them inscribed with the words Minor Avanti on it. He was on the shorter side, his brown hair falling into his eyes, half of it pulled up into a small ponytail at the back of his head. He was looking wearily at Heechul as if he wanted to be summoning anyone but him, but he brightened up and smiled at Taemin upon spotting him. He had a nice smile, dimples at the side of his cheeks, and his eyes smiled too. Taemin smiled back. “You must be Heechul’s brother Taemin, right?”
“Oh stuff it, Eeteuk,” Heechul said, clambering past him. “I don't want you trying to convert my brother into your little Avanti club. Let’s just get this over with and see what I’m taking the heat for now.”
Eeteuk rolled his eyes. He waited for Siwon to climb out of the cabin, then shot a last smile at Taemin before shutting the door again.
Once outside, Heechul walked one cabin over, pausing impatiently for the other two. Eeteuk walked up, touching his wand to the door. The Front Cabin was locked in a special manner; only Avanti’s and other authorized faculty could gain access by wand and voice recognition.
“Intrare,” said Eeteuk. The door evaporated and the three of them climbed inside the Front Cabin.
Heechul looked around, rather bored. There was a boy he recognized from the Decorus Sector named Kim Jungmo, and another girl he knew from last year’s Potion’s class with the Sentenius, who’s name he knew to be Park Yoobin. There were three other people further away in the cabin (this one was considerably more roomy, complete with a table in the middle and a counter along part of the wall). One of them was talking to his fellow seventh year, the other girl turned away from all the others. Heechul paid her no mind. He walked up to the seventh years, grinning.
“Tablo!” he greeted him. He turned to the girl, giving her a wink. “EunHye, looking good.” She smiled and punched him in the arm. He pretended it didn't hurt. “So what’s all this about guys, I’ve been on the Formation for a few hours and I’m already in trouble?”
The boy named Tablo chuckled wryly at him. “No, not quite.”
Just then Eeteuk waved his arms and called for silence. They all turned to face him. He cleared his throat. “Alright, yes. Now to some of you, it may already be obvious why you’re here, and to others, this may come as a bit of an…” Eeteuk looked at Heechul, “unforeseen surprise. Well, yes, let’s get down to it. I’ve just been made Head of the Prior Avanti team and have just received word that this year I will coaching all of you to strive to do the same. As you know it is a great honor to-“
Heechul interrupted him loudly. “Wait wait wait, you can’t be serious, Eeteuk.” Those in the cabin turned to look at him. Tablo snickered in his had in the corner. “Me? As an Avanti? There has to be a mistake.”
Eeteuk looked like he privately agreed, but he shook his head. “No, once the parchment has been delivered it’s the final verdict.”
“Well, what if I don't want to be an Avanti?” Heechul immediately countered.
“I’m afraid you have no choice,” EunHye piped up, grinning at him. Heechul glared back at her and Tablo. Both of them looked like they were enjoying this immensely.
“She’s right, Heechul,” sighed Eeteuk.
“What about Siwon, he isn’t even of age, he’s only a fifth-year!”
“Siwon has a letter for him explaining his acceptance. I was briefed on it, outstanding performance, honorable demonstration of strong morality, stuff like that. It’s happened before, He just gets to be on for two years.”
“This is ridiculous.” deadpanned Heechul.
“Unfortunately yes,” said Eeteuk wearily. “And so, with that-“ He gave a flourish of his wand and copper badges sprung up on the robes of the four sixth-years and Siwon in the cabin. Eeteuk’s own badge on his chest turned into a shiny gold, the text now reading Prior Avanti, Tablo’s and EunHye’s following suit. “-I will see you all before the banquet to go over your Avanti duties. Dismissed.”
Heechul stared at him, dumbfounded. How could he have been made an Avanti? After all the trouble he’s caused at the school, he didn’t think someone was stupid enough to give him power, too. Apparently, he was wrong. He groped behind him for Siwon.
“Siwon? Siwo-“
Siwon was standing in the corner, conversing with the girl Heechul had dismissed, the two of them speaking in hushed tones. Heechul narrowed his eyes. The girl stood up on her toes, brushing her lips across Siwon’s. Siwon flushed ever so lightly in response.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Heechul said loudly.
Siwon looked up and groaned. He had clearly hoped he was being sneaky.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes,” said Heechul, nodding at him, twirling his wand between his fingers sinisterly. “Come on, Siwon, Hankyung is probably waiting for us.”
Imae leered at him, a manicured hand on Siwon’s arm. “Heechul, is it true?” she said, her voice low and nasty. “My father says your brother was nearly a Squib. Didn’t Show until the very last second.” She made an annoying clucking sound with her tongue. “What a shame.” Heechul stared at her, torn between hexing her throat shut or just punching her in the face, Muggle style.
“How about you keep your fat mouth shut, Imae?” Heechul spat back. “I know you've had so much practice stretching it open, but this isn’t the time or place for that.”
Imae looked as though Heechul had slapped her across the face. The voice inside his head crowed in triumph. Siwon looked between the two nervously, at Heechul’s terrifyingly icy expression and Imae’s livid glare. He leaned down, whispering a quick apology in her ear before walking over and bustling Heechul outside and into the neighboring cabin. Hankyung looked up as the pair of them immediately started arguing.
“Heechul, seriously, that was uncalled for-“
“Keep her away from me, Siwon, or I swear I’ll shove my wand so far up her plastic ass she’ll be spitting splinters-“
“What happened?” asked Hankyung. He stopped, spotting the badge on both of their chests. “No way. No way, you’ve been made Avanti's?”
Heechul threw himself in the seat next to Hankyung. “Yes, some idiot up there wants to torture me. Speaking of torture, Siwon will be having plenty tonight. The sickening display of puppy love over Slutmae-“
“She’s one too?” asked Hankyung. “Man, everyone’s been made an Avanti except me. Even Siwon is an Avanti.”
“I’m not surprised,” grumbled Heechul. He jerked his thumb over at Siwon. “Pussyfoot over there is such a goody-goody that he was chosen early, he has moral fiber-hey, where’s Taemin?” Heechul had just noticed the absence of his younger brother.
“He went back to his cabin with his friends,” said Hankyung to his book. He seemed to have gotten over the Avanti news fairly quickly and had resumed trying to make the ink in his book flash different colors.
“Well, it’s good he has friends at least,” Heechul said. “My baby brother, growing up…”
A cool female voice issued overhead. “Twenty minutes until Jae Neung Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. Twenty minutes.”
“Time to get changed,” sighed Hankyung. The three of them rummaged about the luggage racks over their seats, extracting their robes and pulling them on. They packed up all the things they had taken out during the trip: Hankyung threw his books back into his trunk, Heechul rolled up his copy of US Witchley, and Siwon put away the wand servicing kit from his parents. They settled down with around ten minutes to go until they were finally there. Heechul’s stomach grumbled. The Starting Banquet was always filled with the most amazing food. He was looking forward to the festivities, and even more so to the Sorting of Taemin. He couldn't wait to crawl into his four-poster and fall asleep, a full stomach and his brother in the dormitories below. He smiled to himself.
With five minutes to go, he remembered that before all of that, he’d have to suffer through Avanti duties. Somehow, this was only one person’s fault.
“Hey, Siwon. Are you quite attached to your fingernails?”
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