Hogwarts : The Bangtan Episode

Jin scoured the library shelves, searching for something that could answer his questions. Hoseok quietly snored on the desk next to him, tired after having attended a full class. Jin grabbed a thick red book, pulling it from the shelves and sitting across from the sleeping Hufflepuff. “Circles of Protection and Their UsesBy Loreli Ashmow”, he chose, recognizing the title from one of his mother’s author friends. Jin flipped through the pages, looking for an example similar to what he saw in the DADA room.

Quiet snow fell outside, the moon shining bright. It was a quiet January night, one that typically Jin would spend by the fire. He couldn’t though. His brother’s weird behaviors picked at his mind, making him skip dinner which was happening at the same time as he read.

“Casting a magic circle is a common ritual in Witchcraft. Circle casting is an act of creating a space for spell work or a ritual. It’s an important skill that many a witch and wizard overlook in our modern era. Seeing as the common wand now provides a sort of three-dimensional field upon it’s user that does the same job as a magic circle, they’ve fallen from common day-to-day practice.

Known as “the Circle of Protection” or “Circle of Power,” the circle is used for several reasons. In particular, the circle provides protection by keeping unwanted energy out of the workspace. At the same time, it contains the magical energy that you raise within, and it’s said to be a “space between worlds.”

A quiet knocking sound startled Jin from his book, and he jerked up. A great horned owl was pecking at the nearby window, and Jin rushed to open it. Namjoon fell inside, dusting snow off of his freshly turned human arms and legs. Jin thanked the magic that allowed Namjoon to transform with clothes on, because his arms and chest had not gotten any smaller, and he feared he might just pounce on the Ravenclaw if he saw him in full naked glory.

“What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Jin asked, brushing some snow out of Namjoon’s hair as the younger fixed his wrinkled robes.

“Looking for some more information on those two Azkaban escapees who died. I thought maybe I missed something when I first looked, but. . .” Namjoon shrugged his massive shoulders. “I don’t know. I’m kind of running out of ideas.”

Jin pulled another chair over towards the table Hoseok was still asleep at.

“You’ll be fascinated to hear about my conversation with my brother then,” Jin laughed sarcastically.

“You actually talked to him? Wow Hyung, I didn’t think you had it in you,” Namjoon teased and Jin shot him a playful glare.

“I’m a Gryffindor, come on now. I’m brave as they come. And hold on, you just fly to the library? You could’ve walked. Bit reckless, isn’t it?”

Namjoon shrugged again, pulling Jin’s book over and flipping through it himself.

“I’m learning to live a little, I suppose. Yoongi Hyung made me do this, and I might as well start using this power,” Namjoon replied while skimming the book’s pages. Hoseok let out a little snore, and Namjoon wrinkled his nose. “He’s got a bit of bad sleeping breath, doesn’t he?”

Jin chuckled. “Yeah, this past month it’s been bad. I think he’s just sort of let himself go since Yoongi left.”

“Mmmm,” Namjoon hummed, reaching over and shutting Hoseok’s mouth for him. “What did your brother say to you?”

“Well, I went to go turn in my work, seeing as I’m failing that class. We argued about a lot of stuff, but it didn’t really get hostile towards the end.”

“What do you mean?” Namjoon said, shutting the book and leaning forward, his interest was all on Jin.

“Uh. . . well, I found him in a Circle of Protection-” Jin tapped the book Namjoon was leaning on. “And he was all normal. He told me the Ministry saw the Min family at Lee and Jameson’s funerals. They were paying respect, but that’s all he said. We talked a bit more, the fight got a little harsher, and then. . . well I kicked over a candle in his circle-”

“Breaking the circle.”

“Yeah. And then he started acting strange. He was more affected by what I said. More angry. He spoke in full sentences, yelled, he even cracked his neck. I think he’s possessed or something.”

“So. . . you think your brother is possessed because he cracked his neck?”

“You don’t understand. Seok Jung has perfect posture. He never has any stress on his back or neck because he sits, like, textbook perfect. It’s so annoying.”

“I don’t know Hyung, that isn’t a strong reason to assume something is wrong with him. But the yelling and sentences might be, especially if they happened after you broke the circle.”

“I know, that’s what I’m thinking-” Jin grabbed the book from under Namjoon’s elbow and started flipping through it. “Loreli says that they’re protection circles, and they keep unwanted things out. So maybe Seok Jung knew he was under the influence of one and wanted to think clearly, or maybe he needed a safe space to perform some spell. I’m not sure if there’s a way to find out, I’ll have to write to Loreli and see if she knows more-”

Namjoon chuckled.

“I like your energy, but Loreli Ashmow is an infamous author. She probably has thousands of letters from fans to read everyday. You probably won't get a letter back.”

“I’ll get one back, she always responds to my Christmas card,” Jin says absentmindedly, skimming over a page about candle types in a circle.

“What?”

“Oh, Loreli-” Jin said, looking up at Namjoon. “I know her. Family friends.”

“You know Loreli Ashmow. One of the greatest archaic magic historians and authors of our generation. You’re family friends. You have to be fucking with me.”

“No,” Jin shook his head. “My mom and her are friends. They meet at the author's club every Tuesday.”

“Author’s club?”

“Yeah, my mom writes. Kim Jooeun.”

“Kim Jooeun is your mother,” Namjoon gasps, leaning over the table and grabbing Jin’s shoulders. “Tell me you’re lying. Say it’s all a joke. A cruel, mean joke.”

“No?” Jin says, unsure why Namjoon’s massive, veiny hands are burning through his clothes and igniting butterflies in his stomach. Jin can smell Namjoon, he’s that close.

“She’s like, my favorite author ever. Her work in “A Thousand Spells for a Thousand Potions” is like, the most in-depth and reliable study and research of all time. I reference it in all of my schoolwork. She’s incredibly smart and observant, and like, oh Merlin, she’s your mom.”

“Calm down there,” Jin giggled. “She’s taken Joon. My dad and her are still married.”

“No, I don’t mean it like, but for real, Hyung, she’s like my idol.” 

“I can see that, uh, mind letting go before you crush me with your huge arms?” Jin chuckled, pointing lightly at how Namjoon was still holding both of his shoulders.

“Oh!” Namjoon quickly lunged backwards, his face getting red. “I’m so sorry, I was just so excited-”

“No, it's fine. It’s cute that you like something that much. Really genuine.” Namjoon blushed harder at Jin’s choice of words. Jin smiled back, happy to see the old, shy Namjoon was still there under all those muscles. Muscles. Wait one second-

“Why are you still buff?” Jin asked, and Namjoon’s eyes widened. “Jimin said the muscle swelling was supposed to go away in 2-3 days. It’s been like 2-3 weeks.”

“I uh,” Namjoon picked at his robe sleeve. “I may have been, like, um, working out.”

“What? Why?”

“To, uh. . . keep the muscles.”

Jin blinked.

“You like this?”

“Well, yeah?” Namjoon replied. “Everyone seems to like it too. I get compliments all the time now, and it’s not just because I act good and do all my work with more effort than I should. It’s. . . it’s nice to look nice.”

“Well, I understand that, but I just never thought that you’d. . . well. . .”

“What? Don’t you like it?” Namjoon asked, looking down at his arms. “If you don’t I can stop, I’m so unsure, I don’t need it, really, it was stupid of me to like it, I don’t even know what I was thinking-”

“Namjoon! Please, you look-” Jin paused, seeing how Namjoon watched his face closely for an answer. “You look. . . perfect.”

The room got quiet, and all the two boys could hear was Hoseok’s quiet sleep breathing and the flicker of the nearby candle.

“You think so?” Namjoon asked, leaning a little closer.

“Well, of course. You looked great before, and now, well you just seem-” Jin bit his lip. “Like you’ve grown into yourself. You’re so confident, and purposeful. Of course I like it.”

Namjoon’s face didn’t give away what he was thinking, and Jin could feel him getting a little closer with each silent second that passed by. He was acting. . . different.

“That means. . . so much coming from you-” Namjoon said in a low voice.

“What?”

“You’re perfect. If you think I’m perfect, well-” Namjoon smirked. “Then it has to be true.”

Jin felt his face grow red, and he panicked. He wasn’t supposed to be getting flustered from a fourth year Ravenclaw. What was he, a scared little first year with a crush? This was pathetic.

“It’s. . . it’s okay to say what you’re thinking. Hoseok is out. It’s just us,” Namjoon said, leaning even closer. He was so close. All it would take would be for Jin to just lean forward, and he knew their lips would connect. He hadn’t even thought about kissing Namjoon until this point, and his face flushed a deeper hue when he realized he was, now, in fact, thinking about kissing Namjoon. He felt his eyes glance down at the younger’s lips, and he knew Namjoon saw it.

“Or don’t,” Namjoon said.

“Or don’t what?”

“Don’t say what you’re thinking. I think. . . I think we’re thinking the same thing.”

Jin watched in shock as Namjoon’s eyes flicked down towards his lips, and he knew that if he didn’t run right now, they’d kiss. Namjoon started coming closer, his smell drawing Jin in, trapping him like a siren’s song, unable to tune it out-

Jin shoved Namjoon’s freakishly large shoulders back, standing up and scraping his chair against the floor. He laughed maniacally, waking Hoseok up, who screeched and fell from his chair.

“SO FUN! Wow, I, uh, hahahahahhahahahah! This was SUCH A GREAT CATCH UP NAMJOON! I uh, I have to go to dinner now, I’ll see you later!” Jin spun around on his heels, desperate to escape Namjoon’s confused stare.

“Hyung, wait!”

Jin really didn’t want to turn around, but he paused, unable to walk away.

“You’re bag! And, Hoseok-”

“Hoseok can keep my bag for me. Take him back to Tae’s room please! Thank you, good bye, good night-” Jin stuttered, practically jogging out of the library. As soon as the door shut behind him, Jin took off at a fast sprint down the hallway. A few paintings called out to him, and he nearly took out a small first year who was standing in the way, but he didn’t stop running until he made it to the Great Hall.

Gasping for breath, he quickly walked over to the Slytherin table, where Jimin was sitting. Jin didn’t care that the younger boy was talking to some of his house mates, and Jin didn’t care that he wasn’t supposed to sit with a different house during dinner. He collapsed in his seat next to Jimin and threw his head against the table. 

“Hyung? What are you doing here?” Jimin asked, softly tugging on Jin’s shoulder.

“MmHmhdmghhh-” Jin said into his arms. He heard a few whispers of the Slytherins around them.

“Jimin, why is he here?”

“Watch it! It isn’t any of your business, and if you think it is, I’ll shove your wand so far up your ass you’ll cough it out!” Jin heard the benches scrape against the floor and the patter of feet. When he looked up, all the Slytherins around them had left to different parts of the table.

“Are you okay Hyung?” Jimin asks with the widest puppy eyes ever. If Jin wasn’t on the verge of puking he’d cooed at how cute the Slytherin was. Talk about duality.

“No,” Jin answered honestly. “Namjoon and I were in the library, and we, I don’t know, almost kissed?”

“What?!” Jimin squeaked. “That’s so. . . left field? Isn’t it? I mean, it’s Namjoon Hyung. I don’t think he even knows how to.”

“I know right! But he was totally going for it!”

“And did you?”

“No! I chickened out! Shoved him away and ran.”

Jimin gasped.

“You ran?! You. Ran.”

“I ran.”

“YOU RAN!”

“I. RAN!”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEE”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEE”

Both boys erupted into a stream of noises and curses, feeding off of one another’s energy. It took a minute, but they calmed down enough to talk it out more.

“Wait, wait, wait. You don’t want to kiss Namjoon. And you ran. How will you avoid him? He’s in our friend group,” Jimin said.

“I don’t want to avoid him,” Jin said. “And I don’t not want to kiss Namjoon. It’s a complicated emotion.”

“Complicated. It’s complicated. Hyung, I thought out of everyone in our friend group you’d understand this. It isn’t complicated. You want to kiss who you want to kiss, and you don’t who you don’t. And those you want to, you do. Don’t beat around the bush.”

“. . . beat the bush?”

“I dunno, Taehyung says it. But the point is, if you want to kiss Namjoon, why didn’t you?”

“I have no idea. It was so perfect too! I should've but. . . I don’t know Jimin, he just doesn’t seem like Namjoon right now. He’s all buff, he’s stressed and a mess, he’s purposely working out-”

“I knew it,” Jimin hissed.

“Exactly. He’s just so. . . confident and like a whole new person! I always liked Namjoon the way he was, but now? Now he’s all muscular with big words and a plan. I always fall for men with plans.”

“Oh totally. Men with plans are hot.”

“Literally.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?” Jimin asked.

“I dunno,” Jin muttered. “Die?”

“Always a valid option, but like, Hoseok still needs you. So, how about a grand, over-produced plan that will end up with a steamy make out sesh? Beat Joon with his own plan.”

“That could work,” Jin said, letting his eyes wander while he thought. “It’s always hard to out-plan a Ravenclaw though.”

“At least he’ll see the effort. He probably thinks you’re disgusted by him. You don’t have the shortest dating history out there, no offense.”

“None taken. And you’re right,” Jin sighed, leaning his head on his hand. “I probably scared him away.”

“Nah,” Jimin said, putting his arm around Jin’s shoulders. “Namjoon’s a tough, stubborn thing. He’s decided he likes you, so he’ll stick with it. Just figure out what you’re gonna do-”

“HELP! HELP HIM! HE’S CHOKING!” A female student screamed from over by the Gryffindor table. “IT’S THE PROFESSOR! HE’S CHOKING!”

Everyone turned their heads towards the head table, surprised to see, yes, there was a Professor choking violently. Professor Kim was blue in the face, white foam falling from his mouth. He was shaking and writhing in his chair, eyes rolled back into his head. The other Professors stood up immediately, and one even tried a spell to remove whatever was in his throat, but only white foam came up. 

“My brother, he-” Jin coughed, eyes wide and unable to move. “Why is he still choking?! They used magic!”

“He mustn't have anything in his throat-” Jimin said slowly, putting pieces together. Suddenly his eyes lit up “HE’S POISONED! IT'S A POISON!”

Screams went off around the Great Hall, students clambered away from the food and drinks in fear. A loud clang followed by the sounds of cups falling rang out, a student had climbed onto the table and was running towards the confused teachers. 

“Is that Jungkook?” Jimin asked, gripping Jin’s arm.

It was Jungkook, and apparently he knew what to do. He made it to the head table in record time, shoving the transfiguration professor out of his way. He grabbed Seok Jung’s head, and shoved it backwards, pushing something into his mouth and forcing it closed. He pulled his wand out and made Seok Jung swallow it with magic, the Professor going still.

The whole room fell silent as they waited, students piling on top of one another to see if the Professor survived. Jin grabbed Jimin’s hand and quickly ran towards the table, praying to whatever would listen that his brother survived. As soon as they made it to the head table, Headmistress McGonagall lightly grabbed Jin’s shoulder and led him closer.

He looked down at his brother, Jungkook leaning over him and patiently waiting to see if he’d breathe again. Suddenly, Seok Jung gasped, his eyes opening all the way. Jin cried out, lunging onto his brother and wiping away all the white foam and sweat. He sobbed, and clutched his brother, who managed to catch his breath and lightly hold Jin back.

Jimin gently pulled Jin away, letting Seok Jung be taken away by the Nurse. Jin could barely see through his tear filled eyes, as he grabbed Jungkook and pulled him into a hug. He realized he also couldn’t hear very well either, because the Great Hall had exploded with applause and cheers. It took Jin a few minutes to realize that Jungkook’s name was being shouted out, and he couldn’t agree more. Jungkook was a hero, he saved Seok Jung’s life.