mischief manged // taekook

chapter 2

It was days like this that Jeongguk loved the best. Days when no one had classes, when he just stayed in the Slytherin common room with his closest friends, when the rain outside created a constant rhythm of soft pattering on the windows. Not these windows of course, since the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons and their windows looked out into the depths of the Black Lake. But it was the general atmosphere of a lazy, rainy day, surrounded by his friends.
T

he fireplace roars with life, providing warmth to the otherwise cool space. In front of the fireplace is long black leather couch paired with three matching lounging chairs. Joy, Yeri and Jennie were sat comfortably on the sofa. Joy is curled up into Yeri’s side, her long velvety black hair thrown into a messy ponytail. Jennie sits with her knees close to her chest, her deep chestnut hair cascading down her back in soft curls. Jimin and Yoongi sit together in one of the chairs, and Jeongguk is starting to think Jimin believes his boyfriend is a piece of furniture. The other chair is occupied by a white haired boy who everyone just calls Bambam, since no one can actually pronounce his Thai name. He’d been trying to flip a water bottle so that is lands upright for the last 10 minutes before Jennie transfigured it into the silver mug she is currently clutching close to her chest and sipping warm coffee from.
Jeongguk is stretched out in the third chair, his arms tucked behind his head with the fireplace to his left and Bambam to his right. He watches the soft green glow of the lanterns dance like northern lights through the water on the other side of the windows. Jeongguk doesn’t think he could imagine being in any other house, this is where he belongs. His friends' laughs echoed through his ears and he smiles to himself. Bambam had just finished telling them about how the Gryffindor Head Boy, Jackson Wang, had managed to set a dozen Cornish Pixies free in Professor Binn’s classroom without getting caught.
“Do you remember 4th year when he slipped Sleeping Draught in Filch’s coffee so he could throw a party in the Gryffindor common room.” Joy giggles from Yeri’s side.
“Hell yeah, Jackson’s parties are fucking legendary.” Bambam carelessly tosses a leg over the arm of the chair, pulls out his wand, and mutters a summoning charm at the bowl of chips in Jimin’s lap.
“Oh for fucks sake.” Jimin groans as the bowl flies across the space into Bambam’s hands, spilling more than a few chips in the process. “You couldn’t have just asked me to pass the chips?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Jeongguk was watching a stray chip that had fallen into the fireplace burn to a crisp before breaking apart and turning into ash, when a thought popped in his head.
“Hey, do you think Floo powder would work in here?”
“Why wouldn’t it?” Bambam asks through a mouthful of chips.
“Well, you can’t Apparate within the castle, I was just wondering it applied to all forms of transportation.” Jeongguk explains. No one seems to know the answer as the room goes silent for a minute.
“Why do you want to know anyway?” Yeri asks, breaking the silence.
“Well, Quidditch tryouts are coming up and I wanted to get some new gear at the Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley.”
“Just send in an order form through Owl Post.” Yeri suggests, getting up from her spot on the couch and sitting on the floor in between Joy’s legs. She pulls two hair ties off her wrist and hands them to the elder, who begins weaving Yeri’s short brown hair into two french braids. “That’s what I do.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Hey, kid.” Yoongi nods at Jeongguk, his light blonde hair tucked back in a beanie. “Stop stressing yourself out. You’re the best seeker in the school, you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah I know.” Jeongguk says nonchalantly, he would never admit this in front of everyone else, but Yoongi’s words actually do make him feel a bit better.
“You know what could really help you unwind?” Jimin suddenly perks up, the corners of his mouth twitching up in a devious smile.
“Running 10 kilometers? A bottle of firewhiskey? A good fuck?” Jeongguk rambles off.
“All wonderful ideas, but I was actually going to say that I’m going out for breakfast at the Three Broomsticks with a few friends of mine tomorrow and-”
“Jimin.” Jeongguk warns.
“No. Shut up and listen.” Jimin snaps, effectively gaining Jeongguk’s full attention. “You’re coming with me, you’re going to have a good time, and maybe you’ll even make some friends”
“I’ve got plenty of friends.”
“Name one friend other than Yugyeom that isn’t in Slytherin.”
He can’t.
“Great! It’s settled then.” Jimin smiles victoriously.
Jeongguk looks to Yoongi for help, but he just shrugs. He groans and rubs his hands over his face before letting them fall to his sides. He knows better than to fight Jimin on this. Besides, at this point he’s really just being stubborn, it’s just breakfast afterall.
 
 
The pub is surprisingly idle for a Saturday morning, a dozen or so witches and wizards quietly enjoying their morning tea, reading the Daily Prophet, or gossiping amongst themselves. Jeongguk spots his friends seated towards the back of the room. Yoongi is sandwiched between a beaming Jimin and the excitable Hufflepuff from the feast –– Hoseok –– in the far side of the booth. On the other side, sit three more people with their backs facing Jeongguk. He slides the empty space Jimin made for him at the end of the booth before looking up at the other three wizards. Nearest to the wall sits a peach haired Ravenclaw boy he didn’t recognise, a pair of black rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Jeongguk thinks he looks like the type of person who would listen to your problems without any judgement. Next to him is the other Hufflepuff from the feast, Seokjin, who –– if it’s possible –– is even more handsome than the first time he saw him. And directly in front of Jeongguk is… oh for fucks sake.
“Taehyung.”
“Jeongguk.” Taehyung smiles, but his eyes are shrouded in hatred.
The two glare at each other, both giving the fakest smiles they can muster. It’s obvious to everyone at the table that the two of them would rather not be in eachothers company, but are trying to be civil for the sake of their friends. It’s Hoseok that breaks the uncomfortable silence.
“Hi!” He leans over Yoongi and Jimin, extending his hand to Jeongguk. “I’m Jung Hoseok, you can call me Hoseok or Hobi, whichever you prefer.”
“Jeon Jeongguk.” He takes the boys hand, deciding he’s less a ball of energy and more like a ball of pure unadulterated happiness.
“I’m Kim Namjoon.” The Ravenclaw boy, Namjoon, also extends his hand. As he does, all seven Butterbeers on the table slide out of the way, clearing a direct path for his hand. He looks over at Yoongi, who has his wand out and was clearly the one behind the moving mugs. Namjoon looks offended. “Really?”
“Just being safe.”
“I’m not that bad!” Namjoon retracts his hand without Jeongguk getting a chance to shake it.
“Of course you’re not Joonie. Everyone goes through three wands in one year.” Seokin quips, smiling warmly at Jeongguk. “Hi, I’m Kim Seokjin. Jimin tells me you think I’m the most handsome man you’ve ever seen.”
Jeongguk chokes on his butterbeer and promptly begins coughing, trying to regain his composure. Fucking Jimin. He’s gonna kill that little brat.
“No, it’s fine I agree with you.” The boy smiles.
“What?”
“I also think I’m the most handsome man you’ve ever seen.”
Jeongguk raises an eyebrow at this.
“Aren’t Hufflepuffs supposed to be humble or some shit?” It’s Seokjin’s turn to raise an eyebrow.
“Aren’t Slytherins supposed to be evil or some shit?”
“Touché.”
They clank their mugs together and a take a drink. The sweet butterscotch flavoured drink slides smoothly down his throat and spreads warmth through his body.
“So, Jeongguk, tell me,” Seokjin takes another sip of his butterbeer before setting it down and clasping his hands together with his elbows rested on the table. “How is it that I haven’t met you until now.”
“Ah, well…” He suddenly find his hands very interesting. “I’m not typically a very social person.”
“He’s a bit shy at first–” Yoongi adds, (Taehyung scoffs, but apparently no one except Jeongguk hears it.) “–but once he warms up to you, it’s hard to get him to shut up.”
Seokjin nods.
“Weird. He really doesn’t seem all that shy to me.” All heads turn to Taehyung who, despite his otherwise calm demeanour, was gripping his mug just a little too hard. The pads of his fingers turning white at the pressure. He looks directly into Jeongguk’s eyes, unblinking. “I hear he’s absolutely brutal on the Quidditch field.”
Jimin, not sensing the underlying hostile tone, smiles brightly.
“Fuck yeah he is. Best Seeker Hogwarts has seen in the last 50 years.” Jimin flings his arm around Jeongguk’s shoulders, shaking him playfully.
He feels pride swell in his chest and can’t help but smile.
“Oh my god.” Hoseok shrieks. “Your smile is so adorable! Totally ruins the whole ‘cool, arrogant, badass’ vibe you’ve got going on, and it makes you look like three years younger, but it totally suits you!”
“I-, w-what?!” Jeongguk stutters. “I do not! It’s not! I-”
“No, he’s right, you have a bunny smile. It really is adorable.” Namjoon agrees.
Jeongguk groans, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks, he’s quick to cover his face with his hands. Just when he thinks he about to spontaneously combust of embarrassment, the waitress arrives with an assortment of eggs, fruit-filled oatmeal, and toast.
He doesn’t even hesitate before shovelling down his entire cup of oatmeal, the fruit sporadically sending bursts of flavour on dancing on his taste buds. Jeongguk takes a piece of toast and reaches for the strawberry jam, but just before he can grab the jar, it’s pulled from his grasp. He watches in disbelief as Taehyung spreads the strawberry jam on his toast with a sly smirk. Refusing to let it get to him, Jeongguk reaches instead for the salt for his eggs, but of course, Taehyung grabs that too. He gawks open mouthed at the blonde, who just smiles and winks. Are you fucking kidding.
“Hey guys.” Jeongguk looks up from the grinning bastard to see two boys standing in front of the table; one sporting a maroon and gold striped scarf –– the other, who shares an eerie resemblance to Yoongi, in an emerald green and silver one.
“Jihoon? What are you doing here?” Yoongi ask. There’s no tone of anger or even surprise really, just curiosity.
“Came in for some breakfast, saw you, thought I’d come say hi.” Yoongi nods in understanding
“Uh, guys this is my little brother, Jihoon, and his friend Kw–”
“Kwon Soonyoung.” The other boy finishes. “You may know of my older brother, famous dragon tamer, Kwon Ji Yong.”
“Stop spreading bullshit Hoshi, you’re about as related to Ji Yong as I am to a mountain troll.” It seems Jihoon shares Yoongi’s sass as well as his appearance.
“They didn’t need to know that, asshole.” Soonyoung, or Hoshi as Jihoon had called him, frowns and smacks him on the arm.
“Anyway it was nice to meet you all, but we just wanted to say hi, we’ll let you get back to your meal.” Jihoon nudges his friend towards another table and calls out over his shoulder, “See ya back at the dorms Yoongles.”
Yoongi tenses up. All six pairs of eyes latched onto him, silent for a moment. Everyone clearly trying not to laugh; well, everyone except Jimin who makes no effort wheatsoever to suppress his giggling.
“Aw, Yoongles that’s adorable” Jimin coos, pinching Yoongi’s cheeks.
“Jiminie, sunshine.”
“Yes my sweet Yoongleberry?”
“If you start calling me Yoongles, I will break up with you.”
“Do it bitch.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Everyone at the table has given into the laughter at this point, (whether it’s at the newly discovered nickname or the bickering couple, Jeongguk doesn’t know) but one laugh in particular stands out, and it isn’t the one the resembles the sound of a window being cleaned. It’s a deep laugh that send butterflies to Jeongguk’s stomach. Of course his laugh is fucking adorable. He looks over at Taehyung who is once again sporting that signature boxy smile. A genuine smile. A smile that Jeongguk will never be at the receiving end of.
When Taehyung catches him staring, his smile changes to one of a more cunning nature and something mischievous glints in his eye. He suddenly begins laughing harder until he’s slapping the table, his hand ‘accidentally’ getting a little too close to Jeongguk’s butterbeer, knocking it over and letting what’s left of it’s contents spill onto the table. Jeongguk had already drank most of it so the mess was pretty minimal, but Jeongguk understood his intention loud and clear.
“Really Taehyung? Isn’t that a bit petty?”
“Wasn’t knocking over my potion a bit petty?
No one is laughing anymore.
“Taehyung, it was an accident, just drop it.” Jimin pipes up, trying to diffuse the situation. “Jeongguk, I’m sorry. Taehyung is not usually like this I swear–”
“Ask him.” Taehyung interrupts.
“What?”
“Ask him if he did it on purpose.”
Jimin looks at him with a weary expression.
“Jeongguk?”
Jeongguk doesn’t answer. He may not have corrected Jimin when he assumed it was an accident, but he wasn’t about to lie to his face. The table is silent for an uncomfortable minute before Taehyung stands up and glares down at Jeongguk.
“I have somewhere I need to be. This was fun. Let’s do it again sometime.” He deadpans as he turns and walks out of the pub.
 
 
Taehyung is a patient person, he really is, but there’s only so much of Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s lovey dovey honeymoon phase a person can handle. He’s really glad the two Gryffindors are finding happiness in each other, he just wishes they’d find it somewhere more private. He exchanges a tired look with Sehun, who is clearly feeling the same way as Taehyung.
The four of them sat on a small shore of rocks at the edge of the Black Lake. A soft autumn breeze playing with Taehyung’s hair, exposing small slivers of his forehead. He turns a flat stone in his hand, running his fingers along it’s smooth edges before flicking his wrist, sending the stone flying. It skips four times before breaking through the surface, sinking to the bottom. The 7th year Slytherin besides him snorts.
“Weak.” Sehun waits for the water to still before taking his own stone and whipping it forward. It skips seven times.
“What the fuck!” Taehyung gawks. “How the hell did you do that?”
The black haired boy just shrugs as a chuckle slips from his lips. “Dunno. Never skipped a stone before now.”
“You joking.” When Sehun shows no signs of lying Taehyung scoffs.
“Jealous?”
Taehyung picks up another stone and throws it, harder that the first. It goes straight into the water with a plop. Sehun tossed his head back, his laugh echoing across the lake. He hears Chanyeol’s deep chuckle from behind him and turns to see that he and Baekhyun had stopped feeding each other grapes whilst staring longingly in each others eyes (He’s exaggerating. There were no grapes). Baekhyun has his bottom lip tucked between his teeth to keep from smiling.
“Oh fuck off.” He frowns.
“Ah Taehyungie.” Baekhyun wraps his arms around the Hufflepuff from behind and gently starts rocking them. “Stop pouting, Sehun may be able to skip stones, but he will never have your natural charisma and good looks.”
“Hey!”
Baekhyun stares at Sehun’s arm for a moment before opening his mouth wide and biting down on it. No one really questions it, he does it too often for them to be surprised at this point. It does replace Sehun’s offended frown with a small smile though, so there’s that.
“You’re only saying that because everyone says I look like you.” Taehyung says as something moving in the distance catches his eye. He sees Jimin walking through the forest toward their spot by the water.
“Doesn’t make it any less true.” Baekhyun winks, unwrapping his arms from around him. “Hey Jimin.”
“Hey Baek.” Jimin smiles, nodding at the other two boys “Sehun. Chanyeol.”
“Chim.”
“Sup. JimJam.”
“Tae, Lisa is pulling her hair out trying to figure out the difference between a werewolf, animagus, and metamorphmagus. I tried explaining it to her but she’s not getting it.” Jimin explains.
Taehyung sighs, standing up. Ever since he helped Baekhyun pass his Herbology exam in their fourth year, his friends have decided he’s really good at explaining things and named him the designated tutor. He doesn’t have a problem with it, he actually really loves helping people –– that epiphany moment when he breaks through to someone and their eyes light up. Taehyung could easily see himself going into education, maybe even come back to teach at Hogwarts.
He follows Jimin up the trail back to the castle, as soon as the other boys are out of earshot, Jimin speaks up.
“Taehyung-”
“If this is about what happened at the pub the other day, I’d rather not talk about it.”
“What the fuck is going on between you two?” Jimin continues anyway “Jeongguk is sassy, and stubborn, and a bit of a brat at times–” He rambles “–but he’s not an asshole. And you’re like, the most pacifistic person I know. I haven’t seen you like that in six years.”
Taehyung knows exactly what Jimin is referring to. It was when Jimin had joined Yoongi and Taehyung for Christmas break at the home they shared with Yoongi’s aunt. Unfortunately, Taehyung’s father had suddenly decided to visit. He came to see if one semester at ‘magic school’ had woken Taehyung up to the ridiculousness of it all and if was ready to give up on his fantastical dream and rejoin society. Go to a normal school, get a normal job, and live a normal life. Taehyung basically told him to stick it up his ass. His father didn’t like that very much, and responded in a physical manner. They stay at the castle over Christmas break now.
“I don’t want to get you involved, Jimin.”
“I don’t care.” He snapped. “You’re my best friend, as is Jeongguk, I’m already involved. So just fucking talk to me.”
Taehyung hesitates.
“He broke my camera.”
“I’ll buy you a new one. What really happened?”
He sighs, he should have known Jimin wasn’t going to let it go so easily.
“That camera was given to me by my late grandmother, he broke it and called it a ‘stupid Muggle toy’. I snapped at him, called him some names, and then he called me a Mudblood.” Jimin stopped dead in his tracks. Shocked into silence. Taehyung waited patiently for him to wrap his head around the revelation. “He tried to apologise after the feast, but I kind of threw it back at his face and psychoanalysed him.” He adds, deciding not to omit his own role in instigating the fighting.
He waited for Jimin to say something. Anything. But the words never came. Instead he watched as pure rage filled his eyes, his lips pressed tightly into a thin line.
“Lisa is in the library. I’ll meet up with you later.” He grits through clenched teeth. Turning on his heel and storming off without another word.
Taehyung can’t help but worry a little bit. Not even Jeongguk deserves to cross paths with a pissed off Jimin.
 
 
Jeongguk stands paralysed as a very pissed off Jimin barges into the Slytherin common room.
“Everyone out. Now.” The silver haired boy says in an eerily calm voice. The ‘calm before the storm’ kind of calm. The ‘you’re so fucked’ kind of calm.
His eyes never leave Jeongguk’s, silently telling him he’s the exception to the ‘everybody out’ demand. The few people that were in the room are quick to scramble out of their way, leaving Jeongguk alone. Fuck.
“Jimin?”
A sharp sting spreads across the left side of his face. He winces, instinctively sucking air in through his teeth as he brings his hand up to clutch his sore cheek.
“You fucking asshole.” Jimin spits.
“What?!”
“A fucking Mudblood, Jeongguk? Really?”
Guilt suddenly washed over him. Taehyung.
“I-”
“No. I don’t want to hear it. Taehyung told me what happened. He told me how you broke his late grandmother’s camera, then proceeded to call it a ‘stupid Muggle toy.’”
Shit. Jeongguk hadn’t realised how important that damn camera was to him. He suddenly feels even guiltier.
“He told me he snapped at you and you called him a fucking Mudblood.” Jimin continues “And don’t start on about how you tried to apologise and he was an asshole in response, he told me that too.”
For some reason that surprises Jeongguk, he hadn’t expected Taehyung to mention that part.
“I know you don’t give two fucks about blood status. You’re not a fucking Death Eater, Jeongguk, and you are not your father. And I don’t care what Taehyung did or said because absolutely nothing warrants the use of that word. How do you think that made him feel Jeongguk? He already doesn’t feel accepted in the Muggle world and you went and fucking made him feel like he doesn’t belong in the wizarding world either. Like he is less valued than you because he was born to Muggle parents. Not only that, but when he doesn’t accept your apology you decide to be even more of an asshole, if that’s even possible, and knock over his cauldron like a fucking child having a tantrum.”
“Jimin I feel really fucking awful about what I said to him, okay? I don’t care that he’s Muggle-born, and I don’t think he’s less than me for it. It just slipped out in the moment.” He explains, hoping Jimin can hear the sincerity in his voice.
“I believe you.” Jimin softens his tone for a moment. It doesn’t last very long. “But what you need to do is put aside your massive ego for three fucking seconds, get your head out of your ass, and talk to Taehyung”
“He won’t talk to me –– he hates me.”
“No fucking shit, Jeongguk.” Jimin scoffs, “But Taehyung is probably the kindest, most patient, caring, peaceful person I know, and I know like everyone.”
Jeongguk almost laughs. Almost. He’s pretty sure if he so much as smirked right now, Jimin would knock him out cold. It’s just… he doesn’t think he can ever imagine the Taehyung he knows being any of those things.
“You’re going to have to work your fucking ass off to get him to forgive you, but he will. Because that’s who he is.”
“Why do you even want him to forgive me?”
“Because you two are my best friends and if I have to play mediator for the next two years, I’m going to get really stressed out, and then I’ll probably take it out on Yoongi and then we’re going to break up and I’ll get super depressed and it’ll be all your fault.”
“Wow.”
“Shut up, I’m angry at you.” Jimin pouts. “Either talk to Taehyung, or stay the fuck away from him.”
And with that, Jeongguk is left to his own thoughts in an empty room. How the fuck is he going to get Taehyung to forgive him? Does he even want him to? Fuck. He collapses into the nearest chair and rubs circles into his temples. What the hell is he doing?
 
 
“I’m going to kill him Yoongi.” His boyfriend announces as he climbs into Yoongi’s bed and snuggles close to his chest. Yoongi’s dormmates were all out at dinner, so they had the place to themselves for a few hours. On any other night, that would definitely mean sex, but Jimin has been having a rough week and what he needed most right now was support. Yoongi absentmindedly starts running his fingers through the soft hair on the top of Jimin’s head, twirling the silver strands around his index finger. “It’s been a week and Jeongguk still hasn’t talked to him. A fucking week.”
Yoongi listens quietly, doing his best to comfort the boy, his left hand still in Jimin’s hair while his right traces delicate circles on the soft sliver of skin where his shirt has risen up.
“Did you know they were sent to the Headmaster because they wouldn’t stop fighting in Defense Against the Dark Arts?” He continues. “You’d think they could at least be civil in public, but apparently they’re both fucking toddlers.”
Jimin sounds like he was on the verge of tears and it's absolutely breaking Yoongi. He hates to see Jimin hurt in any circumstance, even before they started dating, but seeing him hurt because two of the most important people in his life hated each other… this was a different kind of hurt entirely. Yoongi feels so helpless because all he can to is support Jimin through this and hold him in his arms when his defenses fall. He wishes more than anything that Jeongguk and Taehyung would just sort their shit out. They don’t have to be friends, but if they could just fucking get along in a civil manner, it would make everything so much better. Jimin would be happy again.
“Have you talked to Jeongguk since last week?” He asked.
“Yeah, I’ve reminded him to figure things out every day after the first time, but he’s been avoiding me for the past few days.” Jimin sighed, playing with Yoongi’s fingers.
“What about Taehyung? They both need make an effort, not just Jeongguk.”
“I know that Yoongi, but telling Taehyung to give Jeongguk a chance to redeem himself isn’t going to work if Jeongguk isn’t even trying.” Yoongi tries to come up with some alternate solution, but Jimin is right. Jeongguk has to fix this by himself.
“It’ll be okay baby.” He kisses the top of his boyfriend’s head, lingering for a moment. “They’ll work it out eventually.”
“Will they?”
“Yeah, they will, just be patient. Don’t give up on them.”
“Thank you.” Jimin whispers. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m letting this affect me so much. I know I must not be very fun to be around lately”
Yoongi hates to see him like this, but he’s is grateful Jimin trusts him enough to let his insecurities show. He wishes he could take them all away, but all he can do right now his hold him closer. He gently tilts Jimin’s chin up so they are facing each other.
“We could sit in an empty room and count grains of rice for five hours straight and I’d still be happy, because I’d be with the love of my life.”
“God, you’re such a sap.” Jimin smiles, and it’s the most beautiful thing Yoongi has ever seen. “If only everyone knew what you were really like; all soft and mushy and emotional.”
“They can never know, Jimin.”
Jimin’s laugh filled his ears.
“I love you, Yoongi.”
“I love you too, Jimin.” He leans forward and presses his lips against Jimin’s warm, soft ones –– praying he can feel the truth behind his words. “So much.”