Chapter 18
Potion-Crossed Sweethearts
The Monday following the Hogsmeade trip dawned bright and clear over Hogwarts. Qing Yi, still blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around him, started his day as usual. As he made his way to his first class, he began to notice something odd.
Students in the corridors would glance his way, then quickly turn to their friends, whispering behind their hands and giggling. Some would outright stare, grins spreading across their faces as if they were in on some grand joke. Qing Yi frowned, adjusting his Slytherin tie self-consciously, his emerald eyes darting around suspiciously.
In Charms class, Professor Flitwick was demonstrating a new spell, but half the class seemed more interested in stealing glances at Qing Yi. A Hufflepuff girl two rows behind him kept poking her friend and pointing, both of them dissolving into fits of poorly suppressed laughter. Qing Yi's shoulders tensed, his quill nearly snapping in his increasingly tight grip.
"What is going on?" Qing Yi muttered to himself, growing increasingly annoyed. He tried to focus on the lesson, but the constant murmurs and stares were impossible to ignore. His usual concentration was shattered, replaced by a growing sense of unease and irritation.
As the day wore on, the attention only intensified. In the hallways between classes, people would nudge their friends as he passed, whispering excitedly. Some brave souls even winked at him or gave him thumbs up, much to his confusion and irritation. Qing Yi's face cycled through various shades of red, his trademark scowl deepening with each passing hour.
By lunchtime, Qing Yi was thoroughly fed up. He stormed towards the Great Hall, his silver hair slightly disheveled from running his hands through it in frustration. That's when he saw it - the Hogwarts bulletin board, crowded with students all clamoring to read the latest edition of The Hogwarts Herald, the school newspaper.
Qing Yi's eyes widened as he caught sight of the front page, his jaw dropping in disbelief. There, in moving magical photographs, was the scene from Koh's Elixirs & Enchanted Herbs. Jin Zixuan had his arms wrapped around Qing Yi, attempting to plant a kiss on his cheek while Qing Yi squirmed away.
The headline blared: "LOVE POTION MISHAP LEADS TO HOGWARTS' HOTTEST NEW COUPLE?"
"No... no, no, no," Qing Yi groaned, his face burning with embarrassment. He snatched a copy of the paper and raced towards the Great Hall, his lunch forgotten in his fury. His emerald eyes blazed with a mix of anger and mortification as he burst through the doors.
Inside the Great Hall, the lunch hour was in full swing, though the vast space was far from crowded. Students were finishing their meals and heading out, while scattered groups remained. Some were hurriedly finishing their food, others lingering to chat.
At the Slytherin table, Nie Huaisang sat alone in a quiet section. He lazily pushed around the food on his plate, his mind elsewhere, idly contemplating his latest fan design. He twirled his fork absently, lost in thought, when suddenly—
"Huaisang!" Qing Yi's voice cut through the general chatter of the Hall like a knife.
Nie Huaisang jumped, nearly knocking over his goblet of pumpkin juice. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of his friend. Qing Yi's usually immaculate silver hair was windswept, his emerald eyes flashing dangerously, and his face was flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
"Whoa, Qing Yi!" Huaisang exclaimed, his fan forgotten as he stared at his agitated friend. "What happened? Did someone hex your breakfast or something?”
"Worse!" Qing Yi growled, slamming the crumpled newspaper down on the table. The force of it caused Huaisang's pumpkin juice to slosh dangerously close to the rim of his goblet.
"Have you seen this?" Qing Yi hissed through clenched teeth, his finger jabbing at the front page so hard it nearly tore through the paper. “Look at this outrage!”
Huaisang blinked rapidly, his surprise quickly morphing into curiosity. He set down his fork and picked up the newspaper, smoothing out the creases Qing Yi had created in his fury. As his eyes scanned the headline and the moving photograph, his eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline.
Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng shared an identical expressions of disgust on their faces as they poked at their lunch. Wei Wuxian lifted a forkful of what was supposed to be shepherd's pie, watching with morbid fascination as it slid off his fork and landed back on his plate with a wet plop.
"I swear," Wei Wuxian grumbled, his nose wrinkling in distaste, "this tastes like something Filch's cat coughed up."
Jiang Cheng nodded grimly, pushing his plate away with a look of resignation. "I heard they hired some new house-elves. Must've found them in a troll cave or something. Even my socks would taste better than this."
Just as Wei Wuxian opened his mouth to retort, Jiang Cheng's attention was drawn to a sudden commotion at the Slytherin table. His eyes widened as he watched Qing Yi, his silver hair in disarray, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. Qing Yi's hands were tangled in his hair, gripping it in frustration as he gestured wildly at a newspaper clutched in Nie Huaisang's hands. Even from across the hall, Jiang Cheng could see the flush of anger and embarrassment coloring Qing Yi's cheeks.
Jiang Cheng leaned across the table and kicked Wei Wuxian's shin. "Hey," he said, "Something's up with Koh over there."
"Ow! What was that for?" Wei Wuxian complained, rubbing his shin dramatically.
Ignoring his friend's theatrics, Jiang Cheng jerked his head towards the Slytherin table. "Look at Qing Yi. He's practically breathing fire, and Huaisang's reading something that seems to be causing quite a stir. I've never seen Qing Yi this worked up before."
Wei Wuxian spun around so fast he nearly fell off the bench, his forgotten shepherd's pie sloshing dangerously close to the edge of his plate. His eyes widened as he took in the scene – Qing Yi now had his face buried in his hands, his shoulders tense, while Huaisang was frantically fanning himself with the newspaper, looking both bewildered and amused.
A mischievous grin spread across Wei Wuxian's face, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. "Oh ho, now this looks interesting," he said, already half-rising from his seat. "Whatever's in that newspaper must be juicy. Let's go check it out!"
As they approached the Slytherin table, they could hear snippets of Qing Yi's frustrated ranting. "...completely ridiculous... utter nonsense... I'll hex whoever wrote this..."
Jiang Cheng, always the more composed of the two, leaned over Huaisang's shoulder to scan the headline. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as understanding dawned.
"Wow, they are way too fast. I thought it'd take at least a week for this to go viral."
"Viral?" Qing Yi spluttered, whirling to face Jiang Cheng. His face, already flushed, turned an even deeper shade of red that clashed spectacularly with his silver hair. "This isn't some joke! They're making it sound like Jin Zixuan and I are... are..."
Wei Wuxian, unable to contain himself any longer, snatched the paper from Huaisang's hands. Ignoring Huaisang's indignant "Hey!", he cleared his throat dramatically, adopting an exaggerated, swooning tone.
"'In a shocking turn of events,'" he began, holding the paper aloft like a town crier, "'Hogwarts witnessed the birth of its newest and most unexpected couple. Jin Zixuan, known for his aloof demeanor, was seen professing his undying love for the enigmatic Slytherin, Koh Qing Yi. Sources say the two couldn't keep their hands off each other, locked in a passionate embrace that left onlookers blushing.'"
Wei Wuxian paused, his eyes dancing with mirth as he looked at Qing Yi's mortified expression. "Merlin's beard, Qing Yi! You two are madly in love!" His grin widened as he continued, barely containing his laughter. "Should we start calling you the new Hogwarts power couple? Oh, oh! Can I plan the wedding? I'm thinking... a spring ceremony, by the lake. We could get the Giant Squid to be the ring bearer!"
Qing Yi's face was now a shade of red that would make a Gryffindor banner look pale in comparison. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, trembling with a mix of embarrassment and fury. Several nearby goblets began to rattle ominously, responding to his uncontrolled magic.
"This isn't funny!" he hissed through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. The air around him seemed to crackle with energy. "It was a love potion accident! Why is everyone treating this like it's some grand romance?"
Jiang Cheng, who had been trying to maintain his composure, finally lost it. He snorted, unable to keep a straight face any longer. His usually stern expression cracked, replaced by undisguised amusement.
"Well," he said, his voice shaking slightly with suppressed laughter, "you have to admit, it's not every day we see Jin Zixuan trying to snog someone in the middle of a shop. Especially not our resident grumpy Slytherin."
"I am not grumpy!" Qing Yi protested, his scowl only deepening. This declaration, combined with his thunderous expression, only served to make Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng laugh harder. Even Huaisang, who had been trying to remain sympathetic, couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
Wei Wuxian, now bent double with laughter, wiped a tear from his eye. His whole body shook with mirth as he gasped out, "Oh, this is brilliant! Qing Yi, you're famous! Can I get your autograph before the fan club forms? I bet they'll be selling 'I heart Qing Yi and Jin Zixuan' badges by dinner!"
As Qing Yi continued to fume, students leaving the Great Hall cast curious glances their way, whispering and giggling. Some even dared to approach, calling out congratulations or making kissy faces at Qing Yi, who looked like he was torn between hexing everyone in sight and finding a hole to crawl into.
The murmur of the crowd suddenly hushed as Jin Zixuan strode into the Great Hall, his face a vibrant shade of red that clashed horribly with his Gryffindor tie. His eyes, wild with a mix of fury and mortification, scanned the room until they locked onto Qing Yi. Clutching a crumpled copy of the newspaper in his white-knuckled grip, he marched straight to their table, each step radiating tension.
"Koh!" Jin Zixuan bellowed, his voice cracking in a way that would have been hilarious if he wasn't so terrifying. "You silver-haired menace! This is all your fault!"
He slammed the newspaper down on the table, causing nearby plates to rattle and several students to jump in surprise. Nie Huaisang, who had been in the middle of taking a sip of pumpkin juice, nearly choked, coughing and spluttering as the juice went down the wrong way.
"Merlin's pants, Zixuan!" Nie Huaisang exclaimed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "If you’re aiming to kill me, at least let me finish my lunch first!"
Qing Yi's eyes narrowed dangerously at Jin Zixuan, his own face cycling through various shades of red before he finally exploded.
"My fault?" Qing Yi screeched, his voice reaching a pitch that made nearby owls hoot in sympathy. "Listen here, you overgrown flobberworm! You're the one who decided to play 'squeeze the extremely fragile and dangerous potion bottle' in the middle of the shop! I told you not to grip it like it owed you money!"
Jin Zixuan's nostrils flared, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "Well, maybe if you hadn't been hovering around me like some kind of... of..."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Qing Yi cut in, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Next time I see someone about to cause a magical catastrophe, I'll just stand there and let it happen, shall I? Maybe I should have let you bathe in the love potion for good measure!"
Jiang Cheng, who had been watching the exchange with growing amusement, couldn't help but interject. "Well, you kinda did just stand there and let it happen, Qing Yi," he pointed out, a smirk playing on his lips.
Both Qing Yi and Jin Zixuan whirled on him, their faces a matching set of indignation. "Not helping!" they shouted in unison, before turning back to glare at each other, seemingly more annoyed that they had agreed on something.
Wei Wuxian, unable to contain himself any longer, burst into laughter. "Oh, this is priceless," he wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye. "You two are like an old married couple already. Should we start planning the wedding?"
Jin Zixuan looked ready to breathe fire. "This isn't a joke!" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "My reputation is at stake! And Jiang Yan-" He stopped abruptly, his eyes darting to Jiang Cheng, who was now leaning forward with renewed interest.
Jiang Cheng's eyebrows shot up, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "Jiang who now? Don't stop on my account, Zixuan. Please, do go on about my sister."
Jin Zixuan's face, if possible, turned even redder. He opened and closed his mouth several times, looking remarkably like a fish out of water, before finally managing to sputter, "That's not... I mean... Fix this, Koh!"
Qing Yi threw his hands up in exasperation, his silver hair seeming to crackle with static electricity. "How exactly am I supposed to fix this? Should I obliviate the entire school? Perhaps you'd like me to invent a time-turner and prevent you from being a complete dunderhead?"
As the argument continued to escalate, more students gathered to watch, whispering excitedly and nudging each other. Some even conjured popcorn, settling in for what promised to be the most entertaining show Hogwarts had seen in years.
It was into this chaos that Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji stepped, having just entered the Great Hall for their own lunch. The commotion at the Slytherin table immediately caught their attention, their eyes drawn to the spectacle of Qing Yi and Jin Zixuan's heated exchange.
The Lan brothers exchanged a look, Lan Xichen's usual serene expression marred by a slight frown, while Lan Wangji's stoic face betrayed a hint of curiosity in his golden eyes. With a silent agreement, they made their way towards the growing crowd.
As they approached, Lan Xichen's voice, calm yet firm, rose above the noise. "What in Merlin's name is going on here?"
Nie Huaisang, who had been watching the scene unfold with barely concealed amusement, turned to Lan Xichen with a grin. "Oh, Xichen-ge," he said, his expression thoroughly entertained as he picked up the newspaper from the table. "You've got to see this. It's what they're arguing about. Quite the story, I must say."
He handed the newspaper to Lan Xichen, who took it with a raised eyebrow. As Lan Xichen's eyes scanned the headline and the moving photograph, his eyebrows climbed higher with each sentence he read. His eyes widened slightly as he delved further into the article.
It was then that Qing Yi noticed Lan Xichen's presence. His eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and desperation. "Ah, Senior Lan! Perfect timing," he exclaimed, momentarily breaking away from his argument with Jin Zixuan. "You were there when it happened. Tell them I'm not secretly eloping with this... this puffed-up pygmy puff!"
Lan Xichen looked up from the newspaper, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his mouth despite his best efforts to remain composed. "Oh my," he murmured, a soft chuckle escaping.
"I must say, they've got quite the imagination at The Hogwarts Herald. I particularly enjoy the part where they describe your 'eyes meeting across a crowded room, sparks flying as if hit by a thousand Stunning Spells'."
Qing Yi's eyes widened, his stomach lurching. "What?" he exclaimed, snatching the newspaper from Lan Xichen's hands. He began to read aloud, his voice growing more incredulous with each line:
"'The air crackled with unspoken tension as Koh Qing Yi and Jin Zixuan gravitated towards each other... Their fingers brushed, sending shivers down their spines... Jin Zixuan's voice, husky with emotion, declared his undying love...' WHAT IS THIS GARBAGE?!" Qing Yi's face turned a deep shade of red as he finished reading.
Lan Xichen, still smiling, said, "Well, you have to give them credit for their creative writing skills. It's quite imaginative."
Qing Yi whirled around to face Lan Xichen, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You're praising them?! After they've just obliterated my entire existence at Hogwarts? Senior Lan, I might as well pack my bags and move to Durmstrang at this point!"
Wei Wuxian, who had been listening with a mix of amusement and sympathy, slung an arm around Qing Yi's shoulders. "Oh, don't be such a drama queen, Qing Yi," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "Although I do agree with you. This little love story is probably going to follow you around like a particularly clingy Niffler for the rest of your time here at Hogwarts."
Qing Yi let out a groan of pure frustration, burying his face in his hands. His voice came out muffled but clearly distressed, "Wei Wuxian, I swear to Merlin, if you don't stop talking right now, I'm going to lose what little sanity I have left."
He suddenly dropped his hands, his eyes widening with dawning horror. "No wonder everyone was staring and giggling in my morning classes! Merlin's beard, I've been the laughingstock of the entire school all day and I didn't even know it. This is a nightmare!"
Lan Xichen managed to regain his serene demeanor, though a hint of amusement still danced in his eyes. "Let's all calm down first," he said, his voice carrying its usual gentle authority. "We all know this isn't exactly what happened. The more you react, the more fuel you give the rumors."
Jin Zixuan, who had been silently fuming, jumped back into the conversation. "That's easy for you to say! You're not the one being painted as a... a lovesick fool!"
Wei Wuxian's eyes lit up as he snatched Jin Zixuan's crumpled copy of the newspaper. He smoothed it out, clearing his throat dramatically before reading aloud, "To be fair, Zixuan, you did a pretty good job of that yourself. Listen to this:
“Jin Zixuan, overcome with emotion, serenaded his silver-haired love with a heartfelt poem. ‘Oh Qing Yi, your eyes so green, the fairest Slytherin I've ever seen,' he crooned, his voice trembling with passion." Wei Wuxian paused to grin, "Very romantic, don’t you think?"
"I DID NO SUCH THING!" Jin Zixuan practically roared, lunging for the paper, his face now crimson with mortification.
Wei Wuxian dodged him with a gleeful laugh, tossing the newspaper to Jiang Cheng, who caught it mid-air, barely holding back his own laughter.
Jiang Cheng, skimming the article, snickered, "Hmm, let’s see... 'Silver hair like moonlight's kiss?' does this sound like something you'd come up with, Jin?"
Qing Yi groaned, burying his face in his hands once again. "I can’t believe they caught what he said word for word... This can’t be happening!" he muttered miserably.
Jin Zixuan, seconds away from bursting into flames, shot Qing Yi a mortified look. "That’s complete rubbish! I would never say such ridiculous things!"
Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh? So you're saying you'd come up with better poetry? Please, do share with the class, Zixuan."
Before Jin Zixuan could sputter out another protest, Lan Xichen stepped in, his voice calm and measured. "Alright, everyone. Let’s not get carried away. Perhaps we should speak to the newspaper editor and request a retraction."
"A retraction?" Wei Wuxian repeated, grinning broadly. "But Xichen-ge, where’s your sense of romance? This could be Hogwarts' greatest love story yet!"
Lan Wangji, standing with his usual stoic expression, muttered under his breath, "Ridiculous." Yet, there was a faint glimmer of affection in his eyes as he subtly leaned toward Wei Wuxian.
As Wei Wuxian's laughter died down, Qing Yi and Jin Zixuan exchanged a look of rare agreement. Their faces, moments ago flushed with anger and embarrassment, now lit up with determination.
"Senior Lan, that's brilliant!" Qing Yi exclaimed, his emerald eyes shining with newfound hope. "A retraction is exactly what we need."
Jin Zixuan nodded vigorously, his usual haughty demeanor replaced by earnest enthusiasm. "Yes, let's go to the Hogwarts Herald office right now. They have to set the record straight!"
As the two unlikely allies prepared to dash off, Jiang Cheng leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms behind his head with a skeptical smirk. "You can try," he drawled, "but don't get your hopes up. The Herald isn't exactly known for its journalistic integrity. They're more likely to write a follow-up piece on your 'lovers' quarrel' than print a retraction."
Nie Huaisang, who had been quietly perusing other sections of the newspaper, suddenly piped up. "Oh, hey! Did you all know the Fall Ball is this weekend?" He looked up, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "They're celebrating the start of autumn and the new Quidditch season. Oh, and look! They're even voting for the Fall King and Queen this year. How exciting!"
Qing Yi, barely registering Huaisang's words, muttered a distracted "Fascinating" as he hurriedly grabbed an apple, a banana, and a couple of ham sandwiches from the table. His stomach growled, reminding him that he'd missed lunch in all the chaos.
"Let's go, Jin Zixuan," Qing Yi said, tugging on the Gryffindor's sleeve. Jin Zixuan nodded, snatching the newspaper from Jiang Cheng's hands as they hurried past.
As they began to walk away, Qing Yi's ears perked up at Nie Huaisang's next words.
"So, Captain Lan," Huaisang was saying, his tone deliberately casual but his eyes sharp with interest, "our four Quidditch teams are being celebrated at this dance. Have you picked out who your date is going to be yet?"
Qing Yi's steps slowed involuntarily, his curiosity getting the better of him. He turned slightly, trying to appear nonchalant as he listened for Lan Xichen's response.
Lan Xichen chuckled softly, a hint of color rising to his cheeks. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his voice carrying its usual warmth. "I haven't asked anyone. What about your brother, Huaisang? Who's he going with?"
Huaisang shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, I don't know. He doesn't tell me these things. But," he leaned in conspiratorially, "I've heard rumors that he's kind of fancying Jing Shi-jie. Not that he'd ever admit it, of course."
Qing Yi's mind whirled at this information. Who would Lan Xichen ask? The image of Jiang Yanli immediately sprang to mind, her gentle smile and kind eyes a perfect match for Lan Xichen's serene demeanor. Of course, they were dating, weren't they? It made perfect sense...
"Koh! What are you doing?" Jin Zixuan's impatient voice cut through Qing Yi's thoughts. "Come on! We'll be late for our next class if we don't hurry."
Qing Yi blinked, snapping back to reality. "Right, sorry," he muttered, hurrying to catch up with Jin Zixuan. As they rushed towards the Hogwarts Herald office, Qing Yi couldn't help but cast one last glance over his shoulder. He caught Lan Xichen's eye for a brief moment, and the older student gave him a small, reassuring smile that made Qing Yi's heart skip a beat.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Qing Yi turned his attention back to the task at hand. They had a reputation to salvage, after all. The mysteries of the Fall Ball and Lan Xichen's potential date would have to wait.
****