Querencia

Namjoon starts wearing that thick cloak over his Slytherin robe wherever he goes. It’s a particularly cold December and it’s currently snowing outside, but it’s not the main reason why he wears it.

Sometimes Jimin would appear out of nowhere and give Namjoon surprise hugs. But before Namjoon could hug back, Jimin would disappear again. When Namjoon scans the crowd for the little Ravenclaw, he’d always see a fluffy tuft of bright yellow, which Namjoon has learnt is Jimin’s color of happiness.

Namjoon cherishes these little moments of surprise and warmth. He feels as if even without the cloak, he’ll feel warm enough to live through the winter.

They had just finished their finals, Namjoon scoring top scores for every subject (no surprise here). Students are coming in and out of common rooms, dormitories, and subject classrooms to gather their stuff. Most students are going home during the three-week Christmas break, so they’re pretty busy packing up and hugging friends goodbye.

Namjoon always stays in Hogwarts over break. Not many students do that, so he likes to think that he has the entire castle all to himself. He can do whatever he wants without worrying that he’ll bump into judgmental people. He can camp in the Library or the Forbidden Forest if he wants. He can go to Hagrid’s and have a cup of hot tea. He can fly laps and laps around the castle. Anything he wants.

And the food too. He stopped going to the Great Hall for dinner after second year, when he created a secret passage that connected his chamber to the Kitchens. But in the holidays, he can go to the Great Hall like a normal person and sit at the far end of the Slytherin table so no one comes to talk to him.

Namjoon watches as students hop on chariots pulled by Thestrals (beautiful creatures, Namjoon must add), then turns away. The first thing on his list of things to do is having a big meal, all to himself.

He hums a tune under his breath as he strolls down the empty corridors, twirling a bit playfully. He pulls out an earphone from thin air (wandless magic rocks) and dances a little to the music.

“And you gonna be happy~” Namjoon sings, knowing no one will hear him anyway, and increases the music volume. He’s going to sound out of tune, but there’s nothing a little Memory Charm can’t do. He dances to the song too, only because the choreography is simple as fuck. 00:00 is one of his favorite BTS songs (he dug around their songs after Jimin recommended them), one of the reasons being it has simple choreography.

Namjoon skips to the entrance of the vacant Great Hall, and throws his arms open and tries to hit the high note in the song as he screams his heart out. Another advantage of listening to loud music is that you’ll never know if you actually make it to the note or not. Saves the embarrassment.

(he really did change after Jimin came along.)

Namjoon freezes and his voice dies as he sees something standing on the Hufflepuff table.

Normally the tables of all four Houses will be filled with untouched plates, silverwares, and tons of delicious-looking dishes. But on the Hufflepuff table, there’s a snowy owl pecking at a bowl of cereal.

Whose owl is that?

Namjoon pauses the music and pulls down his earphones so that they hang at his neck, and carefully walks to the owl, knowing from his experience of hanging out with a bunch of other owls at the Owlery that some are quite timid around humans. He slides over the long bench and stops about five meters away from the owl. He gets a closer look.

It’s honestly a breathtakingly beautiful snowy owl. Its feathers are pure white, like crystal snow, with elegant prints of black markings. It’s quite large, and Namjoon estimates that it’s larger than most snowy owls he’s seen. Its yellow eyes are huge and round and far too intelligent to be an animal’s. It glances at Namjoon once and continues to peck at the cereal, and Namjoon has a kind of feeling that the owl is trying not to laugh.

Namjoon then notices that there’s a wizard chessboard beside the owl. So the owner must’ve set up the board, thought of something else, and left their owl here. That’d make perfect sense.

So Namjoon sits at the Hufflepuff table, figuring that there won’t be any Hufflepuffs shooing him away. He puts on his earphones again and plays another BTS song . . . Dionysus . . . on loop. He grabs all the best dishes (skipping seafoods) and stuffs them in his mouth, even daring to curse a little at how good the food tastes.

He takes a glance at the owl, who continues to eat the cereals. Every once in a while Namjoon will feel the owl stealing glances at him, and the owl doesn’t even try to hide when Namjoon catches it staring. What a peculiar owl.

Namjoon bops his head with the music’s beat as he eats the pudding. He’s already disciplined enough to not scream out the lyrics at this point, because Dionysus is simply a really great song that demands to be sung. Namjoon also has to use up all his willpower to stop himself from jumping onto the table and dancing like crazy.

Suddenly, an arm grabs him by the ankle and pulls him under the table. Namjoon thinks he screams pretty loudly but he can’t hear himself through the music. He fumbles to take off his earphones and prepares himself to scream at the person who pulls him down.

A big hand clasps at his mouth, like Yoongi did when they were in the Forbidden Forest. This hand isn’t as veiny or as bony as Yoongi’s, though, and not as big, but just as firm. Namjoon struggles as the mysterious person pulls him close to a warm body.

Namjoon hears his own quick breathing and the person’s . . . Namjoon figures he’s a guy . . . racing heartbeat. Then he hears footsteps.

“. . . told you Kim stayed for the holiday,” A familiar deep voice of a professor says. Professor Horace Slughorn, the Potions master, Head of Slytherin. “And . . . he’s not in the Great Hall.”

“He’s definitely in the Great Hall,” Professor McGonagall’s voice appears beside Slughorn’s. Namjoon immediately stops struggling against the guy, freezing up at McGonagall’s presence. He hears footsteps entering the Great Hall and stopping at the entrance. “We searched everywhere else, so he’s definitely in the Great Hall.”

“You know how he is,” Slughorn sighs. “He’s not going to be found if he doesn’t want to be found.”

“I need a word with him,” McGonagall says, almost angrily. “You should know him the best, Horace. You’re his favorite teacher. Head of his House. How do I find him?”

“I have no idea.” Slughorn admits. “He’s a wild card, Minerva, we both know this.”

“We must find him at once.” With that, McGonagall stomps off, with Slughorn following her confusedly like a lost puppy.

Namjoon is still frozen for who-knows-how-long. He completely forgets the fact that there’s someone having their hand on his mouth and hugging him, like, really close.

Until the said person laughs the funniest windshield wiper laugh ever.

“Oh my God,” The person gasps in between breaths. “McGonagall’s definitely Mc-gonna-go insane!”

Namjoon chokes on the bad pun.

Namjoon pushes the person away and rolls over the bench to stretch his long limbs in the clearing (squeezing under the table is hard for tall people, okay?). He glares as the person climbs out after him, still laughing like there’s no tomorrow.

This person is breathtakingly handsome. Not Yoongi’s kind of inhumane handsomeness, but a more natural and effortless handsomeness. His lips are the perfect kind of plump and his double-lidded eyes just the right size, not too big to be creepy but big enough to be cute. His nose is small and just the right shape. And his soft black hair is just the right color and the right length.

“Seokjin Kim, at your service,” Seokjin bows dramatically, and grabs Namjoon’s hand to kiss the knuckles. Namjoon immediately retracts his hand, blushing furiously, but Seokjin doesn’t seem to care. “And you're welcome, I just saved your life.”

“No, you didn’t,” Namjoon says, crossing his arms on his chest. He isn’t sure if he likes this guy. He doesn’t like smug people, but he secretly like how old-fashioned and romantic Seokjin is. “You only saved me from detention.”

“Uh-uh.” Seokjin wiggles his index finger. “The possibilities are endless, new friend. The most probable one is that McGonagall will take you to the Forbidden Forest, blaming you for starting the Time-Turner cycle, and you’ll lose your wand on the way there, and the Dementors will kill you at once. So, you’re welcome.”

“What?” Namjoon takes some time to process this. Seokjin knows about the Time-Turners? And that he loses his wand regularly? And that there are Dementors? Unless . . .

Wait. His name’s Seokjin, right? Seokjin . . . Jin? Jin hyung?

“You’re Jin hyung,” Namjoon says bluntly. “Snow leopard pun guy? Hufflepuff?”

“I am indeed.” Seokjin sits down on the bench and grabs the bowl of cereal that previously belonged to a certain snowy owl that’s nowhere to be seen. “And you gotta admit, that snow leopard pun was classic.”

“And . . . a snowy owl Animagus.” Becoming an Animagus is hard. How is almost everyone in this weird little family an Animagus?

“Correct.” Seokjin munches on a mouthful of cereal.

“And you seem to know so much about everyone. I don’t even know you.” Namjoon says. Relax, Joon.

“Nah, you already know enough.” Seokjin says and blows him a kiss. “I’m smart, I’m all-knowing, and I’m cute as fuck.”

“Um.” Namjoon’s fidgeting, and he really should stop being so weird. But he can’t stop being weird with a god in front of him. “Cool.”

“You’re not gonna say that back?” Seokjin says as he slurps a smoothie loudly. Namjoon doesn’t even remember if Hogwarts has smoothies. “That I’m cute?”

“You’re . . . unexpected,” Namjoon says, carefully choosing the right word. “And how is that possible? Knowing everything about everyone?”

“Oh, honey,” Seokjin says sweetly, pulling Namjoon by the wrist to sit beside him. Namjoon notices that he has really wide shoulders. Sexy. “You have no idea what’s possible. Now let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents . . .”

“Stop it with the Beauty and the Beast shit.” Namjoon groans.

“You’re right. We haven’t got time to joke around. Things are gonna de-escalate real quick, and we still have about . . .” Seokjin checks his watch. “ten minutes before we hear some news.”

“Wait, what?” Namjoon immediately jumps off the bench. “What are you talking about?”

“You called me all-knowing,” Seokjin spreads his hands, and for the first time since their encounter he looks deadly serious. And a little tired, too. “But truth is I’m just prophetic. I don’t know everything, just the things that might happen in the future.”

“And you’ve been right, this whole time,” Namjoon says, running his fingers through his hair. “You saw me coming. And the rest of those kids. You saw us coming. You’re a Seer.”

“Yeah. If I hadn’t told Taehyung-ah to walk pass that corridor, he wouldn’t be able to obliviate those people.” Seokjin says calmly. “You would’ve ended up in Azkaban, and without you, Voldemort will travel through the Time-Turner loop, learn about his defeat, and will kill Harry Potter. And none of us will survive.”

Namjoon gapes at him. He’s partly shocked and partly terrified that he’s playing such a big role keeping the world alive. He doesn’t want a responsibility like this. Hell, he can’t even hold a mug without breaking it, how is he supposed to do anything?

“Let me tell the story while we play chess.” Seokjin says, smiling tensely, and pushes the chessboard forward.

It’s been a long time since Namjoon played chess. He never found a worthy opponent to challenge him, so he had given up on it a long time ago. But judging from how Seokjin can literally see the future and how he seems to be analyzing Namjoon’s every move already, Seokjin’s probably a good player.

“You probably already know, my father’s the publisher of Daily Prophet.” Seokjin begins and moves a pawn. “Kind of funny, since his son really is a prophet. So first thing to know about me is I’m pretty rich.”

“Awesome.” Namjoon says sourly, thinking back to his little house he had to live in for years, all alone.

“Second thing to know is that the money doesn’t go to a mansion the size of a castle or the fanciest brooms.” Seokjin says, watching as Namjoon moves a pawn wandlessly as well. “I’ve been travelling all my life. Visited many places but not staying anywhere more than two months. And my parents wasn’t even with me half the time. They just wanted to keep me on my toes while they worked.”

“Must be nice,” Namjoon says and stares at Seokjin straight in the face. He’s not going to get distracted by Seokjin’s story. “I’ve never been anywhere outside of Scotland.”

“I visited the Uagadou wizarding school in Uganda when I was five. That’s where I became an Animagus.” Seokjin explains as he stuffs in a fistful of cereal and glances at his watch again, almost nervously. “The professors there led me into the mountains to watch the stars and learn about the creatures. They also taught me how to do wandless magic. They do something like this,” Seokjin lifts both hands and makes a weird gesture. In front of him, tiny purple fireworks bloom and explode in the air. Namjoon watches in amazement.

“I visited Beauxbatons months later.” Seokjin continues. “They thought I was a native because I looked like I already visited the Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel Fountain, or the beautifying fountain. I already looked fabulous before I was beautified.” He looks extremely smug here.

“Boaster.” Namjoon mutters and moves his knight. “Check.”

“You’re pretty good,” Seokjin raises an eyebrow and moves his king away.

“Likewise.”

“Then, when I was around eight, Castelobruxo in Brazil. I learnt Portuguese there.” Seokjin continues. “People there are experts at making mischief. And there’s Ilvermonry. Really, nothing too exciting. Those Americans are patriotic as hell and their baby Thunderbirds are really, really cute, but that’s about it. They’re just a bad copy of Hogwarts.” Seokjin shrugs. “And I believe that’s a check.”

“Not anymore.” Namjoon knocks Seokjin’s bishop over with his knight.

“Right before I came to Hogwarts, I went to Mahoutokoro in Minami Iwo Jima, Japan. They’re all super crazy about Quidditch and they will hate you if you don’t like Quidditch. And their robes are pretty cool, too. My robes turned golden right before I left Japan.”

“Oh, I know about this.” Namjoon says, moving his pawn forward only to have it knocked over by Seokjin’s queen. “Robes change color according to your magical ability. Gold is the best you can get and you only get white if you practice dark magic . . . like me.” He sighs deeply.

“Yeah.” Seokjin nods and runs his fingers through his hair. “In between those schools I went to other places, but they’re not as memorable. Then I came to Hogwarts. Before then, I’ve never stayed in Scotland for more than three months.”

“Did you get homesick?” Namjoon asks curiously.

Seokjin shrugs. “Not really. I didn’t even know what home was like.”

“So what’s your point?” Namjoon moves his queen. “You’re a nomad. You’ve seen the world even before I knew how big the world was. So?”

“I knew before things happened,” Seokjin says thoughtfully, then kills Namjoon’s pawn. “Before I hit eleven, my life was pretty predictable. Then everything looked like they’re intertwined with each other and I just couldn’t see anything. And I was scared that things were going to happen and that I wouldn’t be prepared, just like I always was.

“My first year went by peacefully. Nothing really mattered much. But just before I became a second year, I saw a new Gryffindor kid who looked as scared as I looked in my first year.”

“Hoseok,” Namjoon says, his full attention on Seokjin now.

Seokjin nods, almost sadly, and frowns. “I saw him sneaking into the Forbidden Forest and crying alone. Saw him sleeping there in the form of a wolf cub. I had to help him. So when the kid was sorted into Gryffindor in the first day of the year, I found a new family.”

“The next year, Taehyung came and found me before I could find him. He smiled super wide and asked me to read his palm. He already read my mind and knew I could see the future.” Seokjin chuckles fondly at the memory. “He was the third addition to the family.”

“Then Yoongi and Jungkook came. They were transfers, so some people weren’t very nice to them. Yoongi hanged up a banner to challenge all the haters into a duel and picked fights with everyone who looked at Jungkook with the slightest hint of prejudice.” Seokjin smiles unconsciously at the memory. “His flamboyant and flashy spells that cause maximum visible damage never failed him, not once. Jungkook, on the other hand, was timid. He was careful not to lose his temper and determined to prove himself.” Seokjin watches as Namjoon kills his knight. “A cute kid, he was.”

“He still is,” Namjoon notes and lets Seokjin check him once. He easily moves a pawn to block the way.

“Yeah.” Seokjin smiles and closes his eyes for a brief second, then a brief shadow of an emotion Namjoon can’t identify passes his face, disappearing just as quickly as it appears. “I think we should finish this chess game soon. Our ten minutes are up and something’s going happen, any second now.”

“Something bad?” Namjoon asks worriedly. He knows Seokjin’s been slightly distracted from how he’s always checking his watch and how there’s a concerned look that seems to glue onto his face. So has he been seeing something in the future?

“I don’t know.” Seokjin shakes his head helplessly, his facial expression unreadable. “Though I do have a feeling it’s not gonna end well.”

“How accurate is your sixth sense?” Namjoon asks.

“Very.” Seokjin says seriously.

“. . . Okay, at least finish your story.” Namjoon tuts and moves his queen again. “Don’t leave me hanging.”

“Yeah, right,” Seokjin laughs softly. “Then there’s Jimin. He’s even more scared than all of us combined. We may all have terrible pasts, but Jimin’s the only one who has to endure everything alone.”

“I know about that part,” Namjoon says lowly, remembering Jimin’s confession a few nights ago at the Training Ground about how his parents abandoned him as soon as he was born. The Mark on his forearm suddenly starts to hurt a little, but Namjoon just clasps at it, ignoring the slight pain and trains his attention back to Seokjin. The Mark can wait.

“Yeah. Long story short, he found a new family here.” Seokjin’s expression turns soft once again.

“And you’re here to recruit me.” Namjoon says carefully. “It’s tempting, really, but I still don’t get why you want me. I’m not special like any of you.”

“I know a liar when I see one.” Seokjin says sharply, and Namjoon raises an eyebrow. “I know you want us and you know we want you too. You know we can be your family and you know we want to be your family. I know you’re more talented than you appear, and I also know you’re hiding that talent on purpose.”

Namjoon gulps. No one ever knows about him being a Parselmouth. No one. Perhaps not even his parents, because he himself didn’t know about it until he was a second-year, long after his parents died. He rubs at his Dark Mark tattoo unconsciously, not sure if it’s because his body’s burning up from shame of hiding from Seokjin or real pain.

“If you want to keep it secret, fine. But please explain why you just moved your queen to B5?” Seokjin asks quizzically, staring at Namjoon with confusion written all over his face as he knocks down the queen. “What kind of move is that?”

Namjoon moves a pawn away. “It’s a checkmate,” He says, and carefully looks at Seokjin’s reaction. Seokjin doesn’t look like a sour loser, but Namjoon isn’t taking the risk.

Seokjin raises both eyebrows and bursts out into a laugh. His shoulders relax for the first time since they talked. “Good game, good game,” He says in between laughs. “Bravo, Namjoon. You are a wild card. You know, I always win because I know what’s gonna happen, but . . . wow. That’s the first time I lost to anyone.”

Namjoon shrugs. “You said you wanted to end this game fast.”

“Yes I did.” Seokjin waves his hand lazily and this pieces fly back to their original spots. “If you were from Czech Republic, you’d be my Czech mate.”

Namjoon groans loudly at that. “Stop it, hyung.”

“Oh, I know you love my puns. You’re just not admitting . . .” Seokjin’s voice trails out and his eyes lose focus right before they roll completely back into his head. The creepy things is, though, he’s still sitting there perfectly still, not collapsing, not moving. His face pales and his lips are slightly opened. He looks like he’s passed out, but how is he still holding himself up?

“J-Jin hyung?” Namjoon whisper-screams and reaches over the chessboard to shake the Hufflepuff’s wide shoulders. The Dark Mark on his forearm is almost sizzling now, screaming for Namjoon’s attention.

Almost immediately, Seokjin’s eyes roll right back and he looks completely normal again, except for the weird look in his eyes. Is that fear?

“Holy shit,” Seokjin whispers, right before someone comes up from behind.

Namjoon whips around to see a shapeless, dense mist of shadows flooding into the Great Hall at an incredible speed. The shadows stop right in front of them and begins to solidify, and Namjoon sees the shape of a person, absorbing the shadows around him.

It’s Jungkook, and he’s clutching his arm. Namjoon sees drops of red leading from the entrance of the Great Hall to where Jungkook is standing now.

Jungkook looks up, the shadows around him swirling wildly and untameably, unlike what Namjoon saw when he first met the boy. Jungkook’s eyes are wide and his face are paler than Namjoon remembers.

“Yoongi hyung’s stuck in the Time-Turner loop and didn’t come back when I called his name and Jimin hyung ran in after him and then everyone else ran in to look for Yoongi hyung and told me to come get you guys and I think I heard someone shouting Harry Potter’s name and . . .”

“You knew, didn’t you?” Namjoon turns to Seokjin and shouts. He’s not angry, just scared. The others are in danger and how could he just sit there and play chess like nothing was happening? “Why the fuck were we chilling when they could be dying?”

“If I told you and let you go, they would find you!” Seokjin shouts back, his face red with anger. Are those tears in his eyes? “Did you really think those were McGonagall and Slughorn? Those were Death Eaters looking for you, dumbass! I was saving your life!”

“My life is worth nothing,” Namjoon hisses, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Real anger explodes in him. “There are people you can really save out there and you choose to save a hopeless case. Are you stupid?”

“Please stop,” Jungkook pleads, clutching his injured arm tighter to his chest. Seokjin visibly winces as if he’s the one hurting Jungkook.

“Do you think I wanted to risk their lives?” Seokjin says lowly and calmly this time. “They’re my brothers, Namjoon. I would never in a million years let anything get to them. Just like I would never in a million years let anything get to you.”

Namjoon opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.

“We have to go.” Seokjin interrupts Namjoon’s silence, jumping over the table to Namjoon’s side and grabbing his wrist to pull Namjoon with him. “I can’t carry you. Too slow. Get on a broom and move.”

Seokjin leaps, and morphs into a beautiful snowy owl with wide wings (they remind Namjoon of Seokjin’s wide shoulders). He flies swiftly and silently out of the Great Hall, sparing Namjoon one last glance just before he disappears out of sight.

Namjoon doesn’t waste any more time either. He raises a hand and transforms the chessboard Seokjin left behind into a Quidditch broom, designed for fast flying, freewheeling, and smashing into opponents. A perfect transportation.

“Thank you,” Jungkook whispers, and Namjoon hops onto the broom at the same time Jungkook turns back into a swirling wind of shadows.

Please be okay, Namjoon thinks before kicking off the ground and flying all the way to the Forbidden Forest, dodging every branch with grace he doesn’t possess when he’s walking on his two feet and following at Jungkook’s tail. His earphones are still around his neck, playing some really sad music Namjoon can barely hear through the roaring wind in his ears. He doesn't care about messing with the past and consequently messing up the future. He just wants the others . . . his new family . . . alive.

He flies right into the darkness that completely swallows him in.

Please be okay.

Bonus:

". . . Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight." Voldemort finishes his ultimatum and distinguishes his amplifying charm. Something tingles in the corner of his mind, and that feeling is more than familiar to him. A Dark Mark, so far away yet so close, is responding to his call.

"What is it, my Lord?" Bellatrix whispers beside him.

"A new follower," Voldemort says, a cruel smirk tugging at his mouth. "Hyunjoon Kim's son. Our new recruit."

"He must have perfect genes then," Bellatrix says seductively, her face awfully close to Voldemort's. She sounds excited, as she always does when there are new additions to the Death Eater army. "Does he take over his mommy and daddy's gifts?"

"His loyalty and power aren't all I want from him, Bella," Voldemort whispers. "He's literally from the future. He knows exactly how I can get Harry Potter."

"Well, he's not the only one from the future." Voldemort can hear the pout in Bellatrix's voice, but knows her too well to know that she's enjoying whatever she's thinking about. Voldemort turns to see a skinny, platinum-haired Slytherin boy, only around sixteen years old, kneeling at Bellatrix's feet and bound by magical ropes. His mouth is sealed by magic, making him look like he doesn't have a mouth in the first place. The boy is panting heavily and glaring at Voldemort rebelliously with feline eyes filled with hatred. Voldemort has seen this kind of foolish bravery too many times, but the immense power and talent behind the bravado are what keep Voldemort from killing him on the spot. That, and the fact that he would make a perfect bait.

Voldemort strolls over and crouches to face the boy, who doesn't seem the tiniest bit scared. "Tell me. Did I kill Harry Potter? Did his friends cry his name when I presented them his dead body?" He asks lowly. "Will Namjoon Kim come to save you, a stranger he doesn't trust?"

The boy's cheek twitches slightly at the mention of Kim's name. Voldemort raises his wand a little, and the spell is broken. The boy's mouth appears.

"Fuck you." The boy snarls with a raspy voice and spits in Voldemort's face.

Voldemort simply stands up and walks away slowly, not sparing a second glance at the platinum boy.

"Keep him alive," Voldemort whispers to Bellatrix, who flicks her wand to put the mouth-sealing spell back to the boy, as he passes her. "Kim will come for him. And they will find Harry Potter for me."

Bellatrix bats her eyelashes, looking slightly disappointed that she can't kill the platinum-haired boy yet but overjoyed that her master leaves the captive all to herself. "Crucio," She whispers almost gently like she's singing a lullaby instead of torturing a boy.

Voldemort looks down at the Hogwarts Castle as it silently falls bits by bits into flames. The Platinum-haired boy's muffled scream of agony behind him fades into the background as another tower of Hogwarts falls.