𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐄 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 - 𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐮

⇛ 𝐂𝐇. 𝟐𝟔

𝐚𝐩𝐫 𝟐𝟑 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟔

"she can't do this!" chenle yelled, pacing back and forth in the courtyard.

"she did. it's too late now." yunhee replied, wiping her tears from her eyes. they were outside on the steps, yunhee with all her luggage, waiting for the carriage to take her to hogwarts express.

"what's too late and why are you crying?"

"jaemin, donghyuck..." she greeted. "you didn't hear? umbridge expelled me."

"what? why? huh?!" donghyuck exclaimed, rushing down the steps to be face to face with her. he gripped her shoulders, observing her red eyes. "she can't do that!"

"that's what i said!" chenle yelled, throwing his arms into the air then slumping next to them.

"why did she expel you?" jaemin asked, his voice much softer.

"she claimed it was because i ditched detention and then laughed during the weasley twins firework show, but frankly i think she just hates me — especially because i'm muggle-born — so she's getting rid of me."

"this can't be happening." chenle mumbled, running his hands through his hair. "yunhee's one of the best students at hogwarts. she's never done anything wrong. if dumbledore was here... this wouldn't happen."

"mark, renjun, and jeno are trying to contact..." yunhee paused, not sure if she should tell them about sirius. after what happened with jisung, she had become a bit wary about everyone. "...some friends to see if they've heard anything about dumbledore."

"let's hope they do because without him, you'll really be going away from hogwarts as long as umbridge is here." donghyuck sighed.

"i don't want to go." she breathed, digging her nails into her palm to stop herself from crying again. "i love hogwarts so much. i... i don't have anywhere else to go to call home."

"i told you, yun, you're always welcome at my house. my mum will take you in and then we'll see each other soon." chenle told her. he wrapped his arm around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder while hooping her fingers through the holes in her hoodie.

"i hate being a bother."

"you wouldn't be one at all. plus, my mum will need help around the house, so i'm sure she'll be more than happy to have a maid." he joked to lighten the mood a little. he smiled, satisfied, when he managed to get a giggle out of her.

"thanks. i'll take up that offer then. anything's better than going back to my parents." she said, perking up at the sound of footsteps. she looked over her shoulder at mark, renjun and jeno who had returned with dull faces.

"hey, you guys, we've got bad news." mark said, crouching on the step behind donghyuck.

"you couldn't find anything about dumbledore." yunhee guessed what was on his mind.

"yeah."

"it was expected. oh, the carriage is here." she stood up, staring blankly at the thestral she was once so excited to see, then turned to face her friends, her lips trembling. "i don't want to leave."

"then don't. stay here and hide in the common room. you wouldn't be able to leave it, but at least you'll still be in hogwarts." jaemin suggested, but she shook her head.

"surely umbridge will have some type of detecting charm. she'll find out and banish me for good."

"i agree with yunhee on that. there isn't anything we can do." renjun said even though he wished his words weren't true. "it's futile."