Felix was walking from class with Jongho, the other three having had to stay behind because they were on clean-up duty, when numerous voices caught their attention. Turning the corner, they found none other than Hyunjin sitting on a bench with a dozen or so of other students, mostly Hufflepuffs, surrounding him. He was talking animatedly, everyone laughing or reacting at whatever he said, and Felix couldn't help but stop in his tracks. He'd promised Healer Kim to pass along her message to Hyunjin but, mostly...

I don't want us to be on bad terms anymore, he thought, his feet moving on their own as he began heading for the group of students. If I can just convince him to meet up later—

"Wait, Felix!" Jongho held him back, frowning a bit. "Maybe you shouldn't—"

"It'll just take a minute," he assured.

Saying so, he finished crossing the distance separating him from Hyunjin, the rest of the group falling silent as they saw him join them. It took a moment for Hyunjin to notice that his audience was no longer reacting to whatever tale he was sharing, and that's when he realized that Felix was now standing in front of him.

Their eyes met, and Felix let out a shaky breath.

"Hy- Hyunjin, I was wondering if- if we could talk later?"

Silence. Utter silence.

And then, Hyunjin looked away from him to glance to the girl sitting next to him. "Did you hear something? There's this... strange, buzzing noise in my ear. It's a bit annoying, really."

The girl started giggling, glancing at Felix, while the other students began murmuring amongst themselves. Felix felt cold, but he tried again, anyway.

"Hyunjin, please," he breathed out. "I just want us—"

"Anyway, where was I again? Got distracted, sorry," cut Hyunjin, not even looking at him anymore.

"The Quidditch match!" reminded one of the boys.

"Oh, right! Thank you! So as I was saying, we were invited to this private Quidditch match between those international teams—"

"Hyunjin!" Felix was growing desperate, his throat already clogging up with emotions. "Why- why are you acting like this? Why are you- why are you being so- so mean? It's not- it's not like you! It's not like you to be this cruel or- or to break your promises!" He was growing upset, quickly losing control of his own words. "You- you keep wasting your time when you were the one who- who sought out more opportunities to learn and- and Healer Kim is really—she's really disappointed in you! And you know what? So- so am I! I'm really- I'm really disappointed in you and what kind of person you've become!"

That finally seemed to catch Hyunjin's attention, the older finally looking at him – and the genuine hurt in his eyes was almost enough to make Felix regret the words he'd just said. But then Hyunjin rolled his eyes and reported his attention to the other students around, launching into his tale once more as if Felix wasn't even there in the first place. 

He swallowed down a sob, slowly backing away until none other than Jongho wrapped an arm around his shoulders and began gently, but firmly guiding him away. The moment they turned the corner and disappeared from sight, however, boisterous laughter made them both stop abruptly in their tracks.

"Man, did you see the guy?"

"He sounded so miserable, really!"

"He sounded like such a kid!"

"And you actually know him, Hyunjin?"

There was a scoff, then Hyunjin answered. "Have to. We grew up together. He's just clingy, though – it's become super annoying, really. I thought he'd grow out of it after he started studying here, but he's just super needy for attention."

"What a pain," snorted another student. "Isn't he the Can't-Spell from 1st Year?"

"And he's so ugly, too! With all that dirt on his face, I mean – he really doesn't have anything going for him, does he?"

More laughter exploded from the other hallway, amongst which Felix distinctly recognized Hyunjin's. He felt his heart clench so tightly it made it hard to breather as he hesitantly brought his fingers up to his face, brushing against his freckles. Hyunjin always told him it was his favorite feature about Felix, that it made him cute...

Was he just lying this whole time to make me feel better...?

"Come on, Lix," urged quietly Jongho, making him walk again. "Don't pay attention to them, okay? They're just assholes – the lot of them. Don't let their words get to your head."

It was one thing to stop the words from getting to his head – it was another entirely to stop them from getting to his bleeding heart, though.

.

It had taken every ounce of strength left in Felix to stop Jeongin from going after Hyunjin and beating him to a pulp. He could understand Jeongin's anger, but he just... he was too tired for this. Too hurt. He didn't want to push things any further. And, though incredibly angry on Felix's behalf, Jeongin eventually settled down and agreed not to act out.

A few days after this unfortunate encounter with Hyunjin, however, Felix found himself alone again, waiting in the library for none other than Chan.

::

"Will you really be able to make it?"

"Yeah, I will."

"You promise?"

"I promise, Lix. I'll be there."

::

When Chan had shown up out of nowhere, Felix fully expected the older to cancel their tutoring lessons again – but much to his surprise, the older had announced that he would actually be there. Felix had been overjoyed and, with Chan sealing the deal with a promise, he knew he had nothing to worry about.

Or at least, that's what he believed up until an hour had passed, and Chan had yet to show up.

Fidgeting a bit in place, Felix nervously glanced around. The library was practically empty – it was a Friday afternoon, after all – and he was starting to grow antsy. Did Chan forget they were supposed to meet up? He probably got caught up in something again... Felix eventually decided to go look for him.

He promised, was the only thought that ran through his head as he began roaming the hallways, hanging onto it with blatant desperation. He made me a promise.

It took him a while, but he eventually managed to find Chan, and he was quite relieved when he realized the older had just gotten caught up talking with a few older Gryffindor students (meaning he wasn't in the middle of a project or an activity). Understanding he'd simply lost track of time, Felix calmed down and slowly approached him.

"Chan?" he called out.

"O- oh, Felix!" Chan jumped a bit, obviously startled to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you... We were supposed to meet up at the library, remember? For..." Felix gulped, sparing a glance for the older students before lowering his eyes. "For my tutoring lessons."

Chan groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Shoot, I completely forgot! I'm so sorry, Lix, but I'm in the middle of something right now."

Felix hesitantly looked back at him at that, frowning. "But- but you promised."

"I know, Felix, but I'm just... I'm super busy, I have a lot of projects, and I'm only halfway through finalizing some details about one of those with my partners," explained quickly the older, gesturing to the other two older Gryffindors behind him. "And I can't—I won't be able to help you out anymore. I have too much on my plate right now. Maybe you can find someone else to help you?"

"I... There's no one else willing to help me..." he protested weakly, his voice breaking a bit. "Please, Chan, I'm not- I'm not asking for every week, but..."

"Felix, I can't afford to waste my time like this," sighed Chan, shaking his head. "Just... find someone else, okay? I'm sorry."

Felix's heart was beating in his ears, his brain barely able to register anything beyond Chan's hurtful words. Wasting his time? Was that all that Felix was in his eyes, now? Nothing more than a waste of time? Swallowing thickly, Felix offered a stiff nod before spinning on his heels and walking away without another look back. The moment he stepped out of sight, he heaved and leaned against the wall, fighting back the urge to burst into tears.

"Weren't you a little harsh on him, Channie? Poor thing looked like he was about to cry."

"He wasn't... Ah, it doesn't matter. He'll be fine."

"Who was he, anyway?"

"No one important, really – just some kid I was helping out at the beginning of the year, but he's... he's kind of a hopeless case, you know? He'll be better off if he seeks help from a teacher or someone more advanced than me."

"Well, you are only a 2nd Year... Still, this project isn't all that urgent – we can always arrange a meeting later if you'd rather go with him today—"

"No, no, like I said, he'll be fine on his own. So? Where were we?"

Felix barely heard their footsteps slowly diminishing in the distance as he sunk to the floor, hugging his knees tightly to his chest as he tried to keep his ragged breathing under control, a few tears slipping past his defenses.

.

Felix barely made it inside the Common Room that Seungmin walked past him, almost shoving him aside, and clearly irritated. He watched him leave with wide eyes before looking further inside the room, where none other than Jeongin and Beomgyu were.

"What happened...?" he hesitantly asked as he joined them. "Why was Seungmin mad?"

"No reason—"

"He and Jeongin got into an argument because Seungmin was using you as a counter-example for his study group again and Jeongin got mad and snapped at him," summarized Beomgyu, heaving out a sigh. "It... wasn't pretty."

Felix frowned at Jeongin. "Innie, you shouldn't have gotten angry at him—"

"And why not?" huffed Jeongin, crossing his arms over his chest. "He's hurting you. You explicitly asked him to stop, and he refused. That's not what friends do – I simply made him realize that."

Felix sighed, but knew Jeongin only meant well, so he didn't insist on the subject. Plus, it did make him feel a little better, to know someone was still standing up for him. So, he simply went to straddle Jeongin's lap and hugged him tightly, murmuring a low "thanks" in his neck. Jeongin exhaled the last of his frustrations out, simply hugging him back.

Who knew? Maybe this would snap Seungmin back to his senses, at least.

.

"Mr. Lee, you do not suffer from Magic Core Corruption."

Felix almost crumpled under the weight of intense relief upon hearing Healer Kim's announcement – he'd have probably collapsed on the bed had Jeongin not already been holding him. He sagged against him, feeling like crying all over again (because while Healer Kim hadn't gone into the details of what Magic Core Corruption entailed, what little he knew had been enough to make him genuinely fear for his life).

But then, as quickly as it came, Felix's relief was gone.

"Then what..." He hesitated before daring to ask. "What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you," cut gently Jeongin, hugging him a little tighter.

"Mr. Yang is correct – in both senses of the term, if I may say so myself." With a sigh, Healer Kim handed over a small medical file. "These are the results of all the tests I've conducted and, thank Merlin, all of them came back negative. As such, I can officially deem you as healthy as you could ever dream to be, Mr. Lee."

"But what- what about my control?" he protested. "Professor Hyuna said my magic was so unstable it could kickstart the magic cores of some ingredients through mere contact! Surely there must be something else we haven't tested!"

"Well, that's..." Healer Kim trailed off, obviously thinking it over, before an idea finally seemed to pop in her head. "Well, there is one test I didn't conduct. It didn't seem relevant at the time, and making the potion necessary for it is extremely costly because of the ingredients used, but... Mr. Lee, how well do you know your family tree?"

"I... don't? I was raised in an orphanage almost since birth," he admitted.

She sighed. "As I thought, then. Mr. Lee, the test I am talking about is one meant to unveil your magical lineage, so to speak. Drinking a special potion will allow us to determine what kind of magical genes run in your family, and it might very well help us in discovering why your magic is, as you put it, unstable."

"You're saying I'm not... entirely human...?"

"I'm saying that you may very well possess a special, non-human ancestry which could now be affecting your body. You may very well have a great-grandmother Veela or some distantly related Drow cousin, or even an ancestor who drank one too many vials of unicorn blood – one way or the other, what I'm trying to say is that your magical abilities may very well be affected by your genetics."

"That's..." Felix gulped, the information not quite sinking in just yet. "And you're- you're saying there's a potion that could reveal my lineage, then?"

"Yes. Drinking it will allow you to internally connect with that unknown lineage and, in the most basic sense, get flashes of its original source."

"Like visions?" perked up Jeongin, always passionate about Divination. "You're saying this potion would allow him to see the lives of his magical relations?"

"In the most basic of terms, yes. However, as I said before, the potion is extremely costly because its main ingredient is Braskorn seeds – five, to be exact. Without them, there's no way to make it. It's not—"

"I have some," whispered Felix, his throat feeling dry.

"Pardon?"

"I- I have some Braskorn seeds," he repeated, looking up at the Healer with wide eyes. "I was—someone gifted some to me earlier this year, I have- I have them in my room...!"

Healer Kim was clearly surprised but nodded in understanding. "You have a very generous friend, then. But, if you are willing to use them for such a procedure, then I daresay it certainly wouldn't be a waste."

"Could you make it?" asked hopefully Jeongin.

"Unfortunately, it's a rather complicated potion – out of my range of expertise, I'm afraid. However, I believe Professor Hyuna would be capable to make it, should you ask her – and I doubt she'd turn you away, seeing as she's the one who sent you to me in the first place."

Jeongin was obviously happy about this turn of event, overjoyed that things were seemingly going right for them, for once – but then he noticed Felix's somewhat pale complexion, and he calmed down a bit.

"Thank you, Healer Kim," he said, wrapping a comforting arm around Felix's shoulders as he helped the older up to his feet. "We'll look into it."

"Alright. But make sure not to go through with the procedure on your own, alright? A botched potion could be very dangerous and drinking it without the supervision of a professional also wouldn't go in your favor," she warned sternly.

"Understood. Have a nice day, Healer Kim."

"You too, boys."

They finally left the infirmary and, still shell-shocked, Felix silently let Jeongin guide him away. After a few minutes, he finally dared to speak up.

"What if..." He swallowed, a tad breathless. "What if I'm not entirely human, after all...?"

"It won't change anything," assured firmly Jeongin. "You could be half-Accromantula for all I care – you're Felix, and I'll... I'll love you all the same, okay?"

Felix's heart thumped a little harder in his chest upon hearing that, and he relaxed, lacing his fingers with Jeongin as he offered the younger a small, but genuine smile. Jeongin smiled back, and they walked in a comfortable silence for the rest of the way.

.

They didn't want to waste any time. They were planning on getting the seeds and going immediately to Professor Hyuna – after all, who knew how much time it would take for the potion to be ready? But when Felix opened the drawer where he'd put the seeds, dread almost immediately settled in his chest.

"They're not there."

"What?"

"They're not there," he repeated as he began frantically looking through the drawer – but there was barely anything in it to begin with. "I know- I know I put them there! I never moved them! Why aren't they there!?"

"What's all the screaming for?" As if on cue, none other than Jisung entered the room. Things were a little awkward between all of them, but genuine worry was painted on his face as he noticed their expressions. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm- I'm looking for something," asked Felix as he began looking through the other drawers just in case he'd misplaced them. "I was—I put a bag of seeds in this drawer a while back and now I can't find them. Have you- have you seen them, by any chance?"

"Oh, do you mean the seeds you gave Changbin?"

The dread churning in Felix's guts instantly grew tenfold. He slowly rose to his feet, looking at Jisung with wide, uncertain eyes. A heavy silence fell upon the room, and Jisung gulped, obviously noticing the change in atmosphere.

"What do you mean?" asked Felix, his voice barely a whisper.

"Well- well, the seeds, you gave them to him. Right? Changbin asked me for them the other day – said you forgot to give them to him, and he needed them for his project." Jisung was visibly growing nervous by the second, not understanding what was happening. "So I- I came to get them for him..."

Felix didn't even think, his body moving on its own as he pushed past Jisung and frantically ran down the staircase, too fast for either of his friends to follow. He ignored Jeongin's calls, rushing out of the Common Room and heading straight for the Ravenclaw Tower, his blood beating in his ears.

He made it in record time. He ignored the statue that tried asking him the question to enter and began banging on the entrance.

"Changbin!!!" His voice echoed in the hallway, reverberating in his bones. "Changbin!"

It took only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity – but at last, the entrance opened, and Changbin stepped out. He looked dead tired, with heavy bags hanging under his eyes, and had those been different circumstances, Felix would have probably found it in himself to be worried for him.

"What do you want, Felix? I'm busy—"

"Where are my seeds?" Silence. Utter silence. Felix's fists clenched, his breathing ragged as he tried his best to keep his cool. "Changbin, where are my Braskorn seeds?"

Changbin averted his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about—"

He's lying, screamed Felix's instincts, and he gritted his teeth. "Jisung told me you asked him to fetch them for you. Said you told him I had given them to you. So I'm asking you again: where are my seeds?"

Changbin clicked his tongue, running a hand through his messy hair. "Ugh, fine! I used them for my project, so what? Don't make a big deal out of it."

"Don't make—Changbin, these were mine! I explicitly told you I wouldn't give them to you and you- you stole them from me!!!"

"You're being overdramatic. Here, I didn't use all of them."

With a careless movement, Changbin threw an all-too-familiar leather pouch, which Felix easily caught. With shaky fingers, he opened it and emptied its contents in his open palm – but only a single, miserable seed fell out.

"There were- there were eight of them," he choked out, fighting back the urge to cry.

"Okay, so I got a bit carried away—"

"Changbin, I needed those seeds!" cried out Felix, clutching the last one tightly in his hands as his tears finally began pouring out. "Why would you—how could you just steal them from me!? I thought- I thought we were friends...!"

"Felix—"

"No." Felix inhaled deeply, a watery whimper escaping him as he swallowed down the rest of his sobs. "You... I was obviously wrong. If your grades are worth more than our friendship, then so be it."

That finally made Changbin's stone-cold façade crack a bit. "Felix, I didn't mean—"

Shaking his head, the freckled boy turned his back to Changbin. Before he began walking away, however, he spared the older one last glance, and he couldn't help but scoff bitterly when his eyes landed on the Ravenclaw emblem on his uniform.

::

"I don't really know. I don't know where I would fit the best – I guess that's what the Sorting Hat is for."

"I think you'll end up in Ravenclaw, Binnie. It's true!"

"Well, I guess he can be smart - when he wants something, that is."

"Wouldn't Slytherin be a better fit, then? Means to an end and all that jazz."

::

"The others were right, after all." His voice was barely more than a murmur, yet it resonated in the entire hallway. "Slytherin would have suited you better."

And then, unable to stand being in Changbin's presence any longer, he took off, clutching his last Braskorn seed to his chest as he ran, leaving only in his trail wet splotches of tears on the floor.

.

"Felix, I'm so sorry—"

"Don't." The freckled boy heaved out a shaky breath as he walked past Jisung and made a beeline for his bed. "You didn't... You couldn't have known."

It was obvious Jisung wanted to say something else, but he ultimately gave it up and quietly left the room, announcing he'd be sleeping over with some friends before closing the door behind him. Finally alone, Felix allowed himself to collapse on his bed and immediately curled up on himself, still clutching the seed as sobs wracked his body.

He felt betrayed, and used – all illusions had been shattered, leaving him raw, and widening the cracks in his heart that had barely begun to mend. He couldn't understand what had gone wrong, what he did wrong, what sin he could have possibly committed to warrant his "friends" growing hate and complacency...

He didn't know for how long he stayed like this, crying in his bed, and wishing with all his heart this was just some sort of nightmare, that he was going to wake up and his friends would still be his friends and things would still be like they used to. And yet, deep down, he knew this was all wistful thinking – that people were bound to change, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

Jeongin returned at some point, putting a bag down at the foot of the bed before coming to lay beside Felix, pulling the older into his chest. The freckled boy had stopped crying by now, the skin around his eyes puffy and irritated, but Jeongin's hold somehow made it a little easier to breathe.

"How... how many do you have left?" he hesitantly asked, after a while.

"Only one," answered Felix, closing his eyes. He was so tired... "I can't—there's no way I can afford more."

"What about the person who gifted them to you? Do you think they'd have more?"

Felix merely shook his head. He doubted Professor Lee had more of those lying around his greenhouses and, even if he did, the freckled boy couldn't even imagine daring to ask for more. What would Professor Lee even think? He'd surely be angry Felix lost the seeds in the first place...

No, not lost – they were stolen.

"... we should go to the Headmaster," then suggested quietly Jeongin. "They don't tolerate thievery in Hogwarts. Plus, they were expensive—"

"No." Felix tightened his hold around Jeongin's waist, inhaling deeply his comforting scent. "I don't- I don't want to cause more trouble. It's fine."

"It's not fine, Lix. He should get punished for this—"

"I don't want him to get expelled, Innie. Let's just... leave it. It's over, anyway." With a shaky breath, Felix pushed himself into a sitting position and reported his attention to the bag Jeongin had brought in. "What's that?"

He was obviously trying to change the subject, but Jeongin decided against insisting – for now. He fully intended on getting justice for Felix because the freckled boy didn't deserve to be treated this way, and Changbin – no matter their former bonds – had gone way out of line.

"Changbin gave it to me – it's the potions he's made with the seeds. I told him it was only proper for you to have them, since he made them using your ingredients, and he didn't fight me on it – already got them graded, apparently."

The bitterness in Felix's mouth grew, but he paid it no mind and merely grabbed the bag, carelessly shoving it inside the drawer. He then slipped the lone seed back into the leather pouch and also put it into the drawer, before closing it with a deep exhale. He then laid back down next to Jeongin, snuggling against the younger.

"Thank you, Innie," he murmured, pressing a small kiss to Jeongin's collarbone. "For always having my back. I'm so glad you're still with me..."

"I'm not going anywhere," simply assured Jeongin, hugging him tight.

A faint smile graced Felix's lips as his eyes finally fluttered shut, the emotional exhaustion of the day finally catching up to him. Soon enough, his breathing evened out and Jeongin allowed himself to relax as Felix finally fell asleep in his arms. He hated how Felix constantly got hurt by the people he loved, and how powerless he was to all of it.

But then, a very faint glow caught his attention. Lowering his gaze, his breath caught in his throat when he realized the glow was coming from Felix's wrist. Carefully tilting it over, his throat went dry when he noticed the faint, slightly glowing outline of some sort of animal now drawing itself inside Felix's wrist.

My soul mark, he thought, his eyes going wide.

It wasn't big nor defined, barely even visible, but it was glowing and, when Jeongin checked the little sun tattoo on his lower back, he found it glowing too. Jeongin loved Felix, and Felix... Felix was starting to love him back. Overjoyed, he lifted Felix's wrist to press a reverent kiss against his blooming soul mark before pulling the older a little closer, contentment filling his chest and warming his heart.

.

A part of Felix hoped that this incident would at least bring Jisung back to him, that his birthday twin and his secret love would finally snap back to his senses and realize just how horribly everyone else had begun treating him – but rather than getting involved, Jisung merely tried to ignore what had happened altogether.

Though aware of his implication in the conflict between Changbin and Felix, though aware that Changbin was the one in the wrong, he refused to change anything, still hanging out with the older when he pleased and never once scolding him for what had happened – he even tried to defend him once, telling Felix this was all just a huge misunderstanding and that Felix shouldn't hold grudges for it.

Felix started avoiding him after that.

About a week after the incident, the freckled boy was starting to come to terms with what had happened, trying his hardest to just move on. He still stubbornly refused to go seek help from any of the teachers, and simply informed Healer Kim that he'd been mistaken and the seeds he was given were another type.

Felix had no choice but to give up on the potion, for now. He was already starting to make plans to start working this summer and, hopefully, he'd be able to afford the potion in a few years, at most – but until then, all he could do was sit tight and work harder.

Thankfully, hard work did pay off.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lee! You're the only student who managed to earn a perfect score in the last evaluation, it would seem."

Felix accepted his Charms evaluation almost reverently, his hands shaking the slightest bit as he gazed at the "O" written in bright red ink at the top of his copy. Receiving a "O" meant he didn't only get a perfect score in the theoretical part of the evaluation, but also in the practical part. He lifted wide, disbelieving eyes at the teacher, and Mister Siwon offered him a grin before moving on to the next student.

Next to him, Jeongin bumped their shoulders together with a smile. "You did it!"

"I- I did it," repeated Felix, still unable to fully believe it.

Jeongin laced their fingers together underneath the desk, and Felix squeezed it tightly, genuinely overwhelmed. This was the first passing grade he got on a practical evaluation which involved spell casting, and he genuinely felt like crying in relief, because it could only mean one thing: he wasn't a hopeless case.

If he just kept on working hard, then he could do it.

A hesitant tap on his shoulder from Jisung earned his attention, and the blue-haired boy offered him a small smile. "Congratulations, Lix."

Though still pained, Felix's hurt feelings were mellowed out at the moment, so he graciously accepted Jisung's encouragement with a small smile in return. Then, unable to help it, he glanced at Seungmin right next to him. The bespectacled boy was solely focus on his own copy, and Felix managed to catch the "A" written on top of it.

That... was unusual. So far this year, Seungmin had scored almost only "O" on all of his evaluations, and only a few "E". This was his first "A", so Felix could only wonder if he wasn't feeling well when doing it. However, before he could hesitantly inquire about it, the bell rung, and Seungmin abruptly rose to his feet before rushing out of class.

Felix watched him leave, suddenly saddened. He was finally making progress but, other than Jeongin, he had no one else to share it with...

"Come on, Lix," urged Jeongin with a smile. "Let's go celebrate!"

"R- right!"

.

Felix and Jeongin, along with Eric, Jongho, and Beomgyu celebrated his hard-earned progress by having lunch in the kitchens, so as to enjoy more privacy. The elves, seemingly sensing their mood, offered them a delicious cake to add to the small celebration, and their time together finally managed to lift Felix's spirits. They eventually returned to the 1st Years' dorm, where they split ways to go to their respective rooms. As Felix and Jeongin began getting ready for the night, however, Jeongin abruptly straightened up with wide, horrified eyes.

"I forgot tomorrow's homework in the library!!!"

"Can't you get it tomorrow?"

"No, it's not open before noon on Thursdays!"

"Then go, quick! You can still make it before curfew if you hurry!"

"Right!"

Jeongin tripped out of the door on his way out, making Felix chuckle fondly. The slightly younger boy could be so clumsy, sometimes... and forgetful, too. Sending a quick prayer to Merlin for his friend to make it to the library in time, Felix then sat down on his bed and pulled his evaluation out of his bag. 

He couldn't help the smile that stretched his lips as he gazed at the "O" written on it, feeling incredibly content and satisfied. Knowing all of his efforts were actually worth something was incredibly liberating and, hopefully, he'd be able to progress even more now that he had the right motivation for it.

The door of the dorm opened, and his smile widened.

"That was fast, Innie—oh, Seungmin!" Startled, Felix then bit his lower lip. "Are you okay...? I noticed that you were unhappy with your score earlier in Charms—"

"Shut up. Give me that!"

Felix was too startled to move, not expecting Seungmin to talk to him like that. Seungmin was fast, taking Felix's copy right from his hands before walking away.

"Hey!"

"This is ridiculous!" snapped Seungmin as he compared Felix's copy with his. "How could you possibly get a perfect score when I didn't?"

"Seungmin—"

"No, I'm tired of this bullshit! I'm tired of your pity act earning brownie points with all of the teachers! We basically wrote the same answers, but you're the one who got an O while I barely got a passable score? That's blatant favoritism!"

"It- it's not like that—"

"Then how do you explain your perfect score in practical, uh?" Gritting his teeth, Seungmin suddenly glared at Felix, making him freeze. "You know what? I'm fucking tired of this. I work my ass off every single day to get the best results I can and what- what do you do, uh? You just sit around kissing ass to try and get passable grades, whining all the damn time about how hard everything is for you while waiting for someone else to work out all of your goddamn issues – do you even realize just how fucking annoying you are?"

Any previous cheer was gone, Felix's throat clogging up as he tried his hardest to hold in his tears. He was looking in Seungmin's eyes, trying to find a trace of the kind boy he used to know, but all he found was pure anger and resentment.

"... you don't mean that," he choked out.

"Stop crying! Maybe people wouldn't be so hard on you in the first place if you just stopped being so fucking sensitive! And you know what? I'm done with this. I refuse to be associated with- with a failure like you! Unless you get your shit together and finally become a wizard worth the name, then don't talk to me ever again!"

A suffocating silence befell the room. Tears were freely spilling down Felix's cheeks and, in an attempt to ignore them, Seungmin glanced down at the paper he was still holding, instead – but it only reignited his simmering anger. Gritting his teeth, he mercilessly ripped it apart before dropping it on the floor and stalking out.

The door slammed shut, but Felix didn't even flinch, trying and failing to make sense of what had just happened. Seungmin's painful accusations and sharp words were echoing over and over in his head, and he slowly got off the bed, collapsing to the floor. He picked up the ripped-up pieces of his evaluation with shaking hands, the "O" at the top quickly smearing because of his tears.

With a harsh sob, Felix forced himself to rise back to his feet. He carefully put away the two pieces of his copy in his drawer – which was becoming a bit full at this point – before going to the bathroom. He forced his tears down, inhaling and exhaling deeply until he finally managed to settle his aching heart enough for his cries to stop.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

::

"... whining all the damn time about how hard everything is for you while waiting for someone else to work out all of your goddamn issues – do you even realize just how fucking annoying you are?"

::

If Jeongin found him breaking down again, he would undoubtedly hunt Seungmin down to give him a piece of his mind, but Felix didn't want that. He didn't want to rely on Jeongin to constantly fight his battles. The younger was probably already growing tired of him at this point – he didn't want to give him any reason to leave him like the others did. So, drying his tears and cleaning his face, Felix then returned to his bed and promptly buried himself under the thick blankets.

Barely a few minutes later, the door opened again, and he forced himself to turn around and smile when he met Jeongin's eyes.

"Did you get your homework?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the previous fit.

"Yeah, miraculously enough." Jeongin frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Y- yeah, just fine. Just tired, is all. It was... a long day."

"Hmm. Wanna cuddle?"

Felix wanted nothing more than to cuddle Jeongin and let the younger smother him with affection, but he knew for a fact that he'd burst into tears the moment Jeongin tried to touch him. So, with an apologetic smile, Felix shook his head.

"Sorry, not... not tonight. I don't want you getting sick if I'm going down with something."

"Oh, okay. But don't hesitate to wake me up if you need anything, okay?"

"Hmm, will do."

Jeongin still went over to his bed to give him a quick kiss to his forehead before going to lock himself in the bathroom to take a shower before bed. Felix only allowed a choked-out sob to escape him once he heard the water running, a few tears soaking his pillow as he buried his face into it to muffle his cries.

.

"Felix! I wanted to talk to you!"

Against his better judgement, Felix stopped in his tracks. He'd been on his way to join Jongho in the library to do some homework while waiting for the others to finish up with a project, and he didn't want to make his friend wait... but the fact that it was Jisung calling out to him made him stop.

Seconds later, Jisung reached him. "Lix! Hey!"

"Hi, Jisung..."

There was a moment of awkward silent. They hadn't gotten a single moment alone together in a very long time, and neither of them truly knew what to make of this estranged dynamic. After a moment, though, Jisung shook his head and offered the freckled boy a grin.

"So- sorry, I won't hold you up for long. I was just thinking that it's been a while since we last hung out, right? So I was wondering if you wanted to come to the open house party that's being held tonight."

"Open house party...?"

"Hmm, Gryffindor is hosting it, and all students interested are welcome to drop by for the evening to have a good time – something about strengthening relations between houses, hence why the teachers are willing to indulge it. So? Are you interested?"

Felix shuffled uncomfortably. "I don't know, Jisung... Parties aren't really my thing..."

"I won't leave your side the entire time!" assured Jisung, clasping his hands together. "I just want the opportunity for us to hang out again... It's been so long, and we're going to get even busier with finals slowly coming around..."

"I..." Felix hesitated again but, upon meeting Jisung's hopeful gaze, he finally caved in. "Okay. I'll come. What time is it?"

Jisung's smile instantly widened. "At 7 PM! Just knock three times and the portrait will open for you! Thank you, Lix! It's going to be great!"

Felix couldn't help but smile a bit at Jisung's excitement, somehow finding glimpses of the friend he'd lost sight of in the past few months. Jisung was then quick to leave, apparently having some stuff to prepare for the party, and Felix started walking in direction of the library again.

A part of him truly didn't want to go to the party, afraid of what his bullies were going to come up with – it was obvious they were using Jisung to get to him again. And yet, this time around, Felix also felt a certain inner strength regarding the matter. All of the pain he'd had to endure in the last year had caused anger to fester and, though usually not one to hold grudges, he now wanted nothing more than for some justice.

Felix was going to go to the party tonight. And, if something truly happened, then he wasn't going to keep his mouth shut like he'd done every other time. He wasn't going to avert his eyes or act as if nothing had happened – he was going to point fingers and demand Jisung to make things right.

To make a choice.

Tonight's party was going to be a test. Everyone but Jeongin had thoroughly hurt him and disappointed him, and Jisung was now toeing the line – Felix was sick of it. It was time for Jisung to make a choice, to decide who his real friends were. It would also be the perfect time... for Felix to come to terms with his feelings. 

If Jisung let him down, then it would undoubtedly hurt, but it would be the closure he needed to start forgetting his feelings. And if Jisung stood by his side, then Felix would find the strength to confess said feelings and work things out. He was tired of walking on eggshells and being mindful of everyone's feelings but his own.

It was time for Felix to face his demons head-on.

.

Felix told Jeongin and the others he'd gotten detention from Professor Khan, something they easily believed because she was always determined to cause trouble for the freckled boy. So, they didn't question it when he left the 1st Years' dorm, and Felix was soon on his way for the Gryffindor Tower.

(He'd subtly asked around and, apparently, 1st Years weren't exactly invited to those parties unless they had older students directly inviting them over – but, considering how popular Jisung was becoming, Felix wasn't surprised he'd gotten an invitation.)

Felix was nervous, but determined. He soon made it to the Gryffindor Tower and, after one last moment of hesitation, he steeled his resolve and knocked three times, just like Jisung told him to – the portrait swung open at once and, gulping a bit, he slowly made his way inside.

He was immediately taken aback... by the utmost silence in the room.

There wasn't anyone in the common room except for Jisung.

"Oh, Lix!" greeted his friend with an apologetic grin. "I realized earlier that I misunderstood – the party's being hosted by Slytherin, not Gryffindor."

"O- oh. Then why are you here...?"

"I wanted to wait for you! Since you said you were coming, I didn't want to leave you hanging!" grinned his friend. "Should we go, then?"

"Jisung..."

Felix's nerves were too frayed to notice anything amiss and, most importantly, his resolve was too great to focus on anything but Jisung. He realized now that if he truly wanted things to change, then Seungmin was right: he had to stop sitting around waiting for others to resolve his problems for him.

"Before we go, I need to tell you something important." The words left Felix's mouth before he could stop them, and he knew there and then that it was too late to take anything back. "Jisung, I- I have feelings for you."

If the silence was strangely thick before, it now grew suffocating. Jisung's eyes went wide, the blue-haired boy obviously not expecting such a confession, and Felix decided to forge forward before he could lose any courage, and before anyone else came in and interrupted them.

"I've had feelings for you for three years, now," he added, his voice barely a whisper as he lowered his eyes, his hands shaking a bit. "You're- you're just so amazing, Sungie. You're so smart and brave and you've always been by my side... I- I love you, Jisung. And I'd understand if you don't return my feelings – I just wanted to let you know. We can still be just friends; things don't have to change—"

"Felix," cut Jisung, almost brokenly. "I- I don't—"

Without warning, something slimy, wet, and cold suddenly dropped on Felix, soaking him from head to toe. A disgusting, smelly substance that seeped into his clothes and his hair made him gag, and he could only stare at the greenish splotches dripping on the floor beneath him.

And then...

And then, there was laughter.

"Ho- holy shit!"

"Did you see his face!?"

"I love you, Jisung! Bwahahah!"

Loud, boisterous, deafening laughter that somehow felt colder and slimier than the bucketload of swamp mud and dirty water that had just been dropped on him. Felix couldn't even breathe as he slowly lifted his head, taking in the sudden appearance of dozens of other students – all 1st Years, his numb mind somehow noticed. 

They were all laughing at him, pointing at him, mimicking his confession, ridiculing his feelings. Felix didn't understand where they all came from or why they were there, but one thing was for certain: they'd been there the entire time. And, from Jisung's stricken expression... he'd known all along.

He tricked me.

This time around, Felix had been the intended victim of one of Jisung's elaborated pranks... but Felix wasn't laughing. He felt thoroughly humiliated but, most importantly, he felt betrayed. Jisung had been planning this from the start... He surely hadn't expected Felix's confession, but it didn't lessen the sting in the least.

With a shaky hand, Felix wiped some of the disgusting substance from his face. He could feel it fill his mouth, but all he could taste was blood. He felt sick. Everyone around was still laughing heartily, and Jisung... Jisung was just standing there. Unmoving. Uncaring. His eyes wide, filled with apologies, yet not a single one made it out of his mouth.

Jisung hesitantly glanced around, then lowered his eyes. Not joining in the laughter, but visibly submitting himself to the others' enjoyment.

So even now, even when it's gone this far, even when I've told him how I feel... he cares more for his reputation than he does me...?

The pain was so great, Felix felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest piece by piece. With a faint gasp, Felix took a step back, then another – and then he was running, unable of thinking of anything other than ways to make the pain stop.

::

"Minho informed me that, while he was performing the ritual, you entered the summoning circle and completed the bonding before he could, resulting in you stealing his familiar. Is that correct?"

::

Felix somehow made it to the 1st Years' dorm. Felix rushed inside, his heart beating in his ears and drowning out any other noise.

::

"And you actually know him, Hyunjin?"

There was a scoff, then Hyunjin answered. "Have to. We grew up together. He's just clingy, though – it's become super annoying, really. I thought he'd grow out of it after he started studying here, but he's just super needy for attention."

"What a pain. Isn't he the Can't-Spell from 1st Year?"

"And he's so ugly, too! With all that dirt on his face, I mean – he really doesn't have anything going for him, does he?"

More laughter exploded from the other hallway, amongst which Felix distinctly recognized Hyunjin's.

::

Gasping for air, Felix burst into his room. His eyes were burning, though he couldn't tell if it was from the tears or from whatever substance they'd dropped on his head.

::

"I... There's no one else willing to help me... Chan, I'm not- I'm not asking for every week, but..."

"Felix, I can't afford to waste my time like this. Just... find someone else, okay? I'm sorry."

...

"Weren't you a little harsh on him, Channie? Poor thing looked like he was about to cry."

"He wasn't... Ah, it doesn't matter. He'll be fine."

"Who was he, anyway?"

"No one important, really – just some kid I was helping out at the beginning of the year, but he's... he's kind of a hopeless case, you know?"

::

With a strangled sob, Felix practically threw himself at his nightstand, pulling the drawer open as he began throwing out everything that was inside of it – his ripped up evaluation sheet, his results for the medical tests Healer Kim had given him, his only Braskorn seed left, a bunch of other useless items...

Until he finally found them – the potions Changbin had made.

::

"Where are my seeds? Changbin, where are my Braskorn seeds?"

"I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Jisung told me you asked him to fetch them for you. Said you told him I had given them to you. So I'm asking you again: where are my seeds?"

"Ugh, fine! I used them for project, so what? Don't make a big deal out of it."

"Don't make—Changbin, these were mine! I explicitly told you I wouldn't give them to you and you- you stole them from me!!!"

"You're being overdramatic."

::

He began frantically looking through the small bag, pulling out one vial after the other. He had a hard time reading the labels with his sight blurred by tears, but he didn't care, only wishing for a way to make the pain stop.

Angel's Trumpet Draught.

Anti-paralysis Potion.

Dogbreath Potion.

Death-Cap Draught—

::

"Seungmin—"

"No, I'm tired of this bullshit! I'm tired of your pity act earning brownie points with all of the teachers! We basically wrote the same answers, but you're the one who got an O while I barely got a passable score? That's blatant favoritism!"

"It- it's not like that—"

"Then how do you explain your perfect score in practical, uh? You know what? I'm fucking tired of this. I work my ass off every single day to get the best results I can and what- what do you do, uh? You just sit around kissing ass to try and get passable grades, whining all the damn time about how hard everything is for you while waiting for someone else to work out all of your goddamn issues – do you even realize just how fucking annoying you are?"

"... you don't mean that."

"Stop crying! Maybe people wouldn't be so hard on you in the first place if you just stopped being so fucking sensitive! And you know what? I'm done with this. I refuse to be associated with- with a failure like you! Unless you get your shit together and finally become a wizard worth the name, then don't talk to me ever again!"

::

—and then, on the smallest vial, he managed to read: Memory Wipe Potion.

Through his frazzled mind, he could faintly remember one of Changbin's numerous potions rants. A single drop of this potion could make anyone's memory fuzzy but, if one took a sip of it while focusing on a specific memory, they were guaranteed to erase it from their mind entirely.

If I can't remember, then I can't hurt, he reasoned, gazing wide-eyed at the potion.

And then he caught sight of the leather bracelet snuggly wrapped around his wrist. The sun charm caught the light almost ominously – Felix had completely forgotten it was there, since he'd never taken it off since Jisung gave it to him for his birthday. But the gift that once brought him joy only made him hurt even more.

::

"It's going to be okay, Lix. They'll warm up to you eventually, and they'll see just how amazing you are – and if they don't, then I'll kick their asses until they change their mind."

::

With an ear-piercing wail, Felix ripped the bracelet off and threw it against the wall, the charm breaking upon impact – and then Felix uncorked the vial, threw his head back, and swallowed the potion in its entirety.

I want to forget the pain, he prayed, his mind quickly growing foggy and slow. Just let me forget all of it.

He passed out before his body even hit the floor, the now empty vial still clutched tightly in his hand.

.

.

.

It was a night like all the others.

Minho was exhausted. He was going to give the ritual one more try before calling it a night, though he knew heading back to his common room wouldn't be easy. Ever since Felix had stopped coming to help him, Minho had a much harder time gauging his limits, but he didn't care: he was going to make it.

And then, as he casted the ritual one more time, he felt it – the connection.

Minho collapsed to his knees as the last of his magic drained out, but then he caught sight of large, furry black paws on the floor in front of him. Lifting his head, his eyes went wide as he found a full-grown black panther staring right back at him.

His familiar. He'd done it.

But at what price? Whispered a vicious voice in the back of his head.

It took a moment for Minho to get over the initial shock and, since his magic was completely depleted at that point, his familiar vanished mere seconds later – they would have to complete the bonding ritual another time, once Minho was back to full strength. But as satisfaction and pride began filling him, it was all backed with an awful, bitter aftertaste.

Because his familiar was a panther, not a cat – meaning Felix truly had been the one to summon that familiar all those months ago.

Meaning... he'd seriously fucked up.

I need... I need to apologize to him...

.

It was a night like all the others.

Hyunjin laid wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling with eyes burning with exhaustion, yet unable to close. Intense guilt had been eating him away for weeks, now, and he could no longer bring himself to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could do was replay the awful confrontations between him and Felix.

He'd been terrible. He'd ignored Felix, even laughed about his looks even though he knew the freckled boy was insecure about them, even though Hyunjin didn't even mean it, and all for the sake of keeping his forsaken popularity. But when Felix had uttered those words, had told him how disappointed he was... It hurt and, in such scenarios, Hyunjin only knew how to hurt back.

But oh, how he regretted it now.

I need to apologize...!

.

It was a night like all the others.

Chan was working on yet another project he'd volunteered for, throwing himself at any opportunity to get involved and gain more merit. Ever since young, he'd known he needed to work hard in order to be acknowledged by others and get what he wanted, and he was willing to do it all, for the sake of his future.

He just never thought it would mean forsaking his friends along the way.

Are you proud of where you are now? He thought, staring blankly at the scrolls scattered before him. Leaving behind the one person you promised you'd never let go?

Chan felt sick. He'd tried to bury his guilt under countless work and projects, but Felix's stricken expression replayed itself over and over in his mind. How Felix had looked so broken upon realizing Chan wasn't going to keep his promise... Truly, how could he call himself a Gryffindor when he wasn't even brave enough to properly confront Felix and apologize for abandoning him?

This can't go on any longer, he thought, putting his quill down with a sigh. I need to apologize, and soon.

.

It was a night like all the others.

Changbin was at the open house party held in the Slytherin dorm, hanging out with some of the friends he'd managed to make. Ever since he got those perfect scores for him and his partners in Potions, his reputation had skyrocketed, and his housemates no longer treated him like the village's idiot.

"Still, how did you manage to make those particular potions?" then asked curiously one of the Slytherin girls. "They're really difficult, but some of the ingredients are really expensive, aren't they?"

"Right, the Braskorn seeds!" nodded a Hufflepuff boy. "How did you get those?"

Changbin shifted uncomfortably, but smiled, nonetheless. "Ah, someone gave them to me..."

"Eh, really? You must have a really generous friend, then. This amount of seeds could have easily bought you a nice mansion, at the very least."

Changbin stiffened upon hearing that. He knew Braskorn seeds were expensive, but surely it couldn't be that much, right? But as the others began discussing the seeds' actual worth, Changbin belatedly realized how much he'd messed up.

He'd been trying to ignore it up until now, Felix's last words to him still stinging quite a bit, but now he could only think about how he'd wasted such precious seeds on a potion as dumb as the Dogbreath Potion, knowing he could have easily used a substitute ingredient for it. He'd not only stolen them from Felix, but he'd also been incredibly careless and selfish. He only needed two for his project, but he'd gone ahead and took more just because he could. Felix had never refused him anything before, so at the time he'd figured the freckled boy was just being stingy...

Fuck, he thought, knocking back his soft drink. I need to apologize to him...

.

It was a night like all the others.

Seungmin was studying in the library. Ever since he received this awful grade in Charms, he'd been ten times more diligent with his work. He barely had the time for his usual tutoring lessons anymore, too focused on staying at the top of the class to care about anything else.

Including his friends' feelings.

He vividly remembered his altercation with Jeongin. How the younger, whom he used to be so close with, had called him cruel and a terrible friend because he kept on using Felix's constant failures in class as counter-examples. Seungmin had been hurt at the time, angry too, and it even caused him to lose sleep and lost focus in class – which led to this dreadful "E", a few days later. 

And then Felix had just swooped in with a perfect grade, and Seungmin could only feel angrier. How dare he? Seungmin worked so hard, yet Felix got a free pass because his magic was defective? Plus, Jeongin hated him now, and the thought hurt – and when Felix tried to comfort him, Seungmin couldn't hold it in any longer, and he snapped.

His words... Thinking back, he knew he'd been awful. He knew he'd been unfair, too, because he was aware of how hard Felix worked.

And Seungmin had not only told him all those terrible things, but he'd also ripped his evaluation sheet to pieces. It was Felix's first "O", and Seungmin had cruelly destroyed it out of pure jealousy. He didn't know why it only fully sunk in now, but Seungmin felt sick with himself.

When had he become this type of person?

I need to apologize to Felix...!

.

It was a night like all the others.

The Gryffindor common room was empty, all of the 1st Years previously present having gone ahead to join the party in the Slytherin dorm. But Jisung was still there, sitting on the couch and staring blankly at the now spotless floor where Felix had been standing mere minutes ago.

Felix, who'd just been thoroughly humiliated.

Felix, who'd just confessed his love to Jisung.

Felix... who's broken eyes would haunt Jisung for the rest of his days.

It was meant to be a simple prank. Jisung had figured out a new, grand-scale invisibility spell, and his friends had convinced him to use it for some fun. They told him to invite Felix to the party but have him come to the Gryffindor common room instead since it was going to be empty. They said it'd be funny if they just managed to trick Felix into thinking there wasn't anyone, and then scaring him with a regular "Boo!" that would undoubtedly make everyone laugh.

Except it didn't go according to plan.

Because Felix used that opportunity to confess his feelings to Jisung, right in front of an audience he didn't even know was there. Because Jisung's "friends" used that opportunity to drop a bucket of something on Felix, and it smelled as disgusting as it looked, and that wasn't part of the plan.

Because everyone was laughing – everyone but Felix. Because Felix was clearly hurting, but Jisung somehow couldn't bring himself to move, terrified of what it could mean for his growing popularity. Would everyone think him to be a killjoy if he stepped in? Would they start hating him if he called them out for being absolute assholes? But was staying silent worth his friendship with Felix? Was it worth Felix's tears and pain?

Before Jisung could come to a decision, Felix ran away, and Jisung couldn't find the strength to run after him. But now, with the common room finally empty, with no more eyes weighing heavily on his shoulders, Jisung was free to think – and free to regret, too. Gritting his teeth, he jumped to his feet.

I need to apologize to him!!!

.

It was a night like all the others.

Except when Jeongin entered his room mere minutes after a random student told him she'd seen Felix rush inside in a frenzy, the last thing he expected was to find the freckled boy collapsed on the floor, his complexion deadly pale and his breathing shallow.

"Felix!!!"

Even when covered in slimy mud, he looked like a beautiful porcelain doll, so fragile and breakable – like a puppet whose strings had been cut, unresponsive and limp in Jeongin's arms. The younger called for him, slapping his cheeks to try and wake him, but Felix stayed unconscious. Panicking, Jeongin then noticed the mess around them and, most importantly, the empty vial in Felix's hand.

His blood ran cold when he read the label on it.

Realizing he needed to act fast, Jeongin picked up Felix's scarily light form and promptly carried him outside, screaming for help in hopes that a teacher would hear him, or even an older student. Unfortunately, it was late and even the ghosts weren't around, so he was left to his own devices.

So, Jeongin ran. He ran as if his life depended on it, because Felix's surely did. He ran, his voice growing hoarse from all the screaming as his pleas for help echoed in the empty hallways. He ran, tears burning his eyes and searing his cheeks and tainting the cold tiles of the castle's floors. He ran, and he eventually made it to the infirmary. He kicked the door in without care, rushing inside just as Healer Kim stepped out of her room, rubbing her eyes.

"What is all this ruckus about—"

"Help him!" cried out Jeongin, his voice finally breaking as he carried Felix to the nearest bed. "Please, he- he drank a vial of Memory Wipe Potion!"

"What!?"

"Please!" sobbed Jeongin as he collapsed next to the bed, holding tightly Felix's cold, clammy hand. "Please, just help him!!!"

.

Word of Felix's state spread around the castle like wildfire. The rumor mill was working overtime, with students speculating left and right – the most vicious said he'd done everyone a favor and had killed himself, but the few who'd bothered to take a look at the infirmary could tell he was still alive.

It was a miracle, really. Though the Memory Wipe Potion was no poison, it was still a magical substance meant to affect one's mind. By drinking not a sip, but the entire vial, Felix greatly endangered himself – he could have made himself forget how to breathe, or even made his brain forget how to make his heart beat. However, thanks to Jeongin's quick thinking and Healer Kim's expert care, they managed to save him in time.

Felix was safe, but unconscious. And, unfortunately, because of the nature of the potion he drank, the chances of him staying stuck in a potion-induced coma grew by the hour. His mind was damaged and, unless it managed to heal on its own, then Felix would never wake again.

Jeongin stayed by his bedside every single day. He didn't leave the infirmary once, his friends bringing him food and clothes and homework, and Healer Kim didn't try to make him leave, insisting that the chances of Felix waking up were higher if he had someone he knew by his side. As such, no teacher came to bother them or demand of Jeongin to go back to class.

It was now four days after the incident. Professor Sunmi and Headmaster Park had obviously come by to gain a better understanding of the situation but, with Felix unconscious, there wasn't much they could find out – and, not wanting to get implicated in such grave matters, no one amongst the student body dared to come forward with information.

But an investigation was underway, and Jeongin had happily given the names of all the students who'd made Felix's life a living hell – including their ex-friends.

(Speaking of which, they'd each try to come at one point or the other to "check up on Felix", but Jeongin refused them entry, and they were forced to leave. Jeongin hated the pain in their expressions. They didn't deserve to feel sorry for themselves when all they'd done was cause more suffering for Felix.)

Jeongin was still by Felix's bedside, working halfheartedly on some homework – the condition for him to be allowed to skip classes at the moment. He was using his right hand to write and his left hand to hold Felix's, keeping the freckled boy's pulse in check. He was terrified that, if he let go for even one moment, then Felix would...

"Hmm..."

Jeongin startled, knocking over the bottle of ink and splattering its contents all over his homework – but he didn't care, immediately snapping his eyes over to Felix... who was stirring. A frown marred his face, but Jeongin didn't care – he was waking up!

"Felix?" he called out, a tad breathlessly. "Felix, please, just wake up...!"

"... Innie...?"

A sob ripped itself out of Jeongin's throat before he could stop it as Felix's eyes weakly fluttered open. He refrained the urge to throw himself at the freckle boy, merely squeezing his hand before excitedly calling out for Healer Kim, who immediately rushed out of her office.

"Goodness gracious, Mr. Lee!" she gasped, obviously not expecting to find him awake. "You are one lucky boy, you know that? Bless Merlin..."

"I feel weird..." mumbled Felix.

"Yes, well, drinking a full vial of Memory Wipe Potion will do that to you," snorted Healer Kim, carefully tilting his head up and bringing a glass to his lips. "Drink this."

Felix did as told, relaxing as the painkiller quickly took effect, and Healer Kim then proceeded with a series of tests to ensure he was still healthy. He was quickly regaining feeling in his limbs, and he wasn't struggling to stay awake, which was a good sign. He was visibly tired, still, but clearly in control of himself.

"I've done all that I can for now," finally announced Healer Kim with a small, relieved sigh. "You were born under a lucky star, Mr. Lee – not just anyone could wake up like you did without any lingering consequence. I'll let you rest for now, but keep in mind that Headmaster Park will want to ask you some questions next time you wake up, alright?"

"Okay... Thank you."

With a nod and a small head pat, Healer Kim then returned to her office. Jeongin exhaled shakily, laying his head on Felix's thigh, and another sob escaped him when he felt Felix's hand gently carding through his messy hair in a soothing manner.

"Innie... What happened?" then asked Felix, a tad hesitantly. "You keep saying I drank a potion that made me sick, but... I- I don't remember doing that."

Jeongin straightened up, grimacing a bit. "Yeah, I supposed some memory issues are to be expected... Don't worry about it for now, okay? Just get some rest. I'm sure it'll come back to you after a while."

Felix simply nodded in agreement, pouting a bit as he opened his arms. "Cuddle me?"

Jeongin let out a small, watery laugh, and he promptly climbed in bed with him.

.

Jeongin and Felix were eating a light lunch when, without warning, the doors of the infirmary swung open, and six people entered – none of which Jeongin wanted around Felix right now, or ever again. He immediately jumped to his feet to stop them in their tracks, anger coursing through his veins.

"Get out!"

"We have a right to see him!" snapped back Chan.

"We're his friends too!" added Hyunjin.

Jeongin scoffed. "Are you?"

"That's—"

"Felix!" Jisung managed to bypass Jeongin and ran up to the bed, tears already spilling from his eyes as he grabbed Felix's hand. "Felix, please, I'm so sorry about what happened, it wasn't- it wasn't supposed to go like that, I'm so sorry—"

"I- I'm terribly sorry, but..." Felix awkwardly pulled his hand back. "Who are you...?"

Silence.

Jisung could only gawk at him, his teary eyes going wide. Felix looked away to glance at the rest of the group, but not a single sign of recognition flashed in his eyes – he obviously didn't recognize any of them. Understanding dawned on Jeongin and, gritting his teeth, he went over to grab Jisung's arm and forcibly pulled him back. 

He dragged Jisung out of the infirmary, glaring at the others and gesturing for them to follow. Too stunned by what had just happened, they didn't protest again and stepped out of the infirmary. Once the door was closed behind them, though, Minho snapped.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Felix drank a full vial of Memory Wipe Potion," answered plainly Jeongin, crossing his arms over his chest.

They all immediately paled, though Changbin and Hyunjin took it the worst, since they understood better the consequences of such an action. Before either of them could add anything, however, Jeongin glared at the entire group. He was angry, but also betrayed – how could these people be the same boys he'd befriended all those years ago?

"You hurt him," he choked out. "You hurt him so much. And- and for what, uh? You decided to forsake your friendship with him, so he did- he did what he thought was best for him and removed the source of his pain altogether. We thought the potion didn't work, but I realize we were wrong. It did work – because he erased all of you."

"You don't know that," protested Jisung, sniffling a bit. "Felix wouldn't—"

"There's only so much pain someone can endure – and Felix went well past his limit months ago, but you all just kept. Pushing. He almost died, and all because of you! Was it fucking worth it!?"

It truly wasn't, they understood that now. Most of them lowered their heads, ashamed, but Minho simply gulped, shaking his head.

"We were wrong, Innie. We want to apologize and make things right—"

"You don't get to do that," hissed their youngest. "Felix doesn't remember anything you've done to him – how could he forgive you for something he doesn't remember?" He roughly pushed Minho, frustrated tears brimming his eyes. "You're just using this opportunity to clear your conscience – you're not sorry at all!"

"It's not like that—"

"If you truly want what's best for him, then you're going to respect his wishes and stay away," warned Jeongin. "You brought him nothing but pain, this year. The least you could do is to just... just stop, now. Hasn't it gone far enough already?"

...

...

...

"Innie? Who were these people...?"

"The ones you wanted to forget," admitted bluntly Jeongin, going to sit next to Felix on the bed before pulling him into a side-hug. "But don't worry, you won't have to deal with them anymore."

A bit confused, Felix simply nodded and laid his head against Jeongin's shoulder. He didn't understand why he wanted to forget these six boys specifically, but that was probably for the best – knowing himself, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths unless it was really important.

.

.

.

A full week passed but, even though Felix was awake, he still didn't return to class, and Jisung and Seungmin were beginning to seriously worry. As such, despite Jeongin's warnings to stay away, they decided to go back to the infirmary. As soon as class ended, they rushed over. They were quite surprised to find the doors open – and even more surprised to find Chan, Minho, Changbin, and Hyunjin already inside. As they hesitantly entered, however, they noticed that the bed where Felix usually laid was just... empty.

Changbin looked pissed. Chan and Minho looked resigned. Hyunjin was crying. The worst immediately ran through Jisung and Seungmin's minds.

"What happened?" whispered Seungmin.

Chan shot them an unreadable look. "Felix... Felix and Jeongin transferred schools. Apparently, there was some talk with the Headmaster and our legal guardian, and the two left for another magical school two days ago. They're... they're gone."

Gone.

Felix and Jeongin had left the school and, since Hogwarts was the only school in the country, it was safe to assume they'd left England altogether. Two boys they used to call family, one of which they'd hurt beyond compare for the sake of reputation or popularity or success. Were those stupid things truly worth their precious bond with the sweetest, kindest soul in existence?

No, they definitely weren't. And now, they would have to move on with lives filled with regrets, painfully aware of how much harm they'd caused for their own selfishness and how precious was what they'd lost because of their own foolishness.

.

...

...

...

Sooooooooo... that happened! I promised angst, and angst I gave - do I keep my word or what? Anyway, as mentioned in the previous chapter, THIS ISN'T THE END OF THE STORY! It's the last chapter for the FIRST book, but I intend to write a sequel! However, I have yet to properly get started with it, so it might take a little while before I post the second part.

I thoroughly enjoyed everyone's reactions/reviews in the last chapter, and the explosion of comments absolutely made my week! I hope this last chapter managed to get you just as riled up, if not more, ah ah!

Also, if you haven't followed me on Twitter yet, make sure to do that - I'll be posting a few announcements/not-entirely-important-but-fun stuff soon enough!

(PS. We're only a few followers away from a fic giveaway! For those who didn't see it, I'll be holding a fic giveaway for everyone interested as soon as I hit 200 followers on twitter, and we're less than ten people away~)