Chapter Text
Having a crush on someone is hard enough. Having a crush on someone from a house that is supposed to be rivals with your own is on an entirely different level. That’s why the only person aware of Jongin’s, a Gryffindor, crush on Chanyeol, a Slytherin, is his best friend, Sehun. Who, yes, is also a Slytherin but their friendship defies house politics because they’ve been friends since birth, okay? Sehun was supposed to be in Gryffindor anyway but that’s an entirely different story.
Jongin’s crush on Chanyeol on the other hand, well that’s just downright preposterous! Or that’s what Lu Han, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain and chaser, would say. But he’s just bitter over the brutal beating that Slytherin gave them back when Jongin was a first year. (“Luhan never forgave, and he never forgot,” Sehun jokes whenever Luhan starts going on and on about that match. “And this is why I hate Slytherins!” )
House Politics aside, he can’t help but like everything about the older boy. He’s tall, and he’s extremely dorky, and his teeth are too big and his smile is blinding, and he might be part elf, and he’s just pretty much everything Jongin would ever look for in a boyfriend. But that green and silver tie he dons serves as a constant reminder of what they can never be.
“Who gives a flying fuck if you are in different houses? You, and Luhan, are probably the only people who still care about bloody house politics . Seriously, who even says that? And I can name at least 30 inter-house relationships off the top of my head. Let’s see, Jongdae the Ravenclaw and Junmyeon hyung from Hufflepuff. Um...Jinri from Ravenclaw and SooJung from Gryffindor. And there’s Yixing-” Sehun says after having to deal with another pouty and whiny Jongin when Chanyeol passed by them in the Great Hall.
“But none of those couples you’ve mentioned are from Gryffindor and Slytherin!” Jongin replies with his head nearly buried in his mashed potatoes.
“Fine. Minho from Gryffindor and Kyuhyun from Slytherin . Happy now?”
“That’s doesn’t count Kyuhyun hyung has already graduated.”
“But when he was still here there were in rival houses and no one cared. So what’s the point of you being such a whiny little baby? Tell Chanyeol you like him. He’d probably be so shocked that someone actually likes him that he’d say yes to the first person that confessed to him,” Sehun laughs.
Jongin looks down and picks at his cornish pasty half heartedly. If only it were that easy. He’d ask Chanyeol out. He really would. If he wasn’t so afraid of rejection. Okay, okay. So maybe the whole rival houses thing was just a cover up for Jongin’s insecurities. But he’d never tell anyone that. He’s supposed to be the Kim Jongin, Gryffindor’s star Seeker. Kim Jongin the brave, proud, A+ student. Not some dorky kid with a schoolgirl crush who’s afraid to get his heart broken. By a weirdo like Park Chanyeol no less. But what if Chanyeol doesn’t like him back or worse, what if he likes someone else?. He has been getting a little too close to his housemate Byun Baekhyun recently....
“It’s not about the houses, is it?” Jongin sighs, sometimes he wishes Sehun didn’t know him so well. “Are you afraid of getting rejected? Because I told you, he’s probably desperate as fuck.” He laughs.
“For merlin’s sake, Don’t make this into a joke, Sehun!” Jongin snaps and the smirk is wiped clean off of his best friend’s face. They both know it’s not like him to lose his cool like this.
“Bloody hell. You really, really like him, huh,” It’s not a question, it’s a statement. One that Jongin can only nod solemnly with because yeah, he really, really does.
“Well, fuck.”
✨✨✨
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to help you make a love potion, just for practice?” Yixing, Sehun’s friend and resident Hufflepuff potions expert, asks with a furrowed brow.
“Um...yes. When we made them in class, mine smelled foul so I wanted to learn how to do it right. The owl my parents sent me over the C mark I got from that was horrible. They said they’d take away my Firebolt for a whole day,” Sehun pouts in response. He half worries that Yixing will see right through his lie but the good natured Hufflepuff is far too trusting for his own good.
“Oh no, Sehunnie! A day without Quidditch? They might as well kill you!” From anyone else, that would sound sarcastic but Yixing’s aghast expression is completely serious.
“Right?! So will you help me....ge?” Yixing’s whole face lights up when Sehun adds the Chinese honorific to his sentence and he know’s he’s got him.
“So that should do it, Sehunnie, go ahead and smell it,” Yixing smiles at the younger male when the potion is finally finished. Sehun stands above the cauldron and wafts the smoke from the brew to his nose and is immediately overcome with a warm sensation in his belly and his heart. “What does it smell like to you?”
“Freshly cut grass the morning before a match, the mince pies the house elves make at Christmas time, Sooyoung noona’s hair when a breeze blows through,” Sehun sighs blissfully. All his favorite smells packed into one, it’s like heaven.
“Quidditch, food and girls. Why am I not surprised?” Yixing giggles.
“I’m not a complex guy, Xing Xing. Now what about you?”
“Well, I always smell new parchment and my mum’s famous cinnamon biscuits,” he says wistfully to himself before shaking his head and looking back at his younger friend. “So that’s that. Now let’s dump it before it’s used for evil.”
“Evil?” Sehun mocks.
“Yes, evil. Love potions are dangerous. Especially when they’re in the wrong hands. We wouldn’t want that so we have to get rid of it,” Yixing explains with an oddly serious expression.
Sehun panics as Yixing makes to pick up the cauldron. “No, stop!” he shouts, causing both of them to freeze in shock. “I mean...I’ll do it, ge. You can go study or do whatever it is you do. I’ll clean this up.” Sehun can feel Yixing scrutinizing him warily. “It’s just...I’m the one who asked for help so I should be the one to clean it up,” he adds in hopes that it will satisfy his older friend. It does.
“Oh, my little Sehunnie is so sweet,” he gushes and ruffles Sehun’s hair good naturedly. “I do have to study with Junmyeon. He’s been shit at making the antidote to uncommon poisons. See you.” He waves and leaves Sehun alone in the abandoned first floor girls’ lavatory.
“Tsk, tsk. Is someone planning to poison someone else? Sehun I thought you were better than that,” a shrill girl’s voice suddenly says from above him.
“It’s not poison, Myrtle. It’s a love potion.” He replies as he begins pouring said liquid into a vial he stole from the Potion’s classroom.
“Same difference, if you ask me,” the ghost giggles and floats away into her cubicle.
Sehun rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath, “Well, no one did.”
“Tell me who it’s for or I’ll go through all the washrooms shouting that a Slytherin fifth year is making banned potions and needs to be expelled immediately!” She bellows suddenly, flying out of the stall and right into Sehun's face.
“Myrtle!” Sehun shouts indignantly.
“I’m sure the prefects would love to hear- “
“Fine! Fine...It’s actually for a friend’s crush. He’s too chicken to ask him out so I’m gonna give it to the guy so that he can fall in love with him and then he’ll finally get the balls to do it. Once it wears off, they’ll already be boyfriends and then they can live happily ever after.”
“What if the boy doesn’t like your friend once the potion wears off?”
“Impossible.”
“Is not.”
“Is too.”
“Is not.”
“Is too.”
Sehun will never admit that he argued back and forth with the ghost of a teenage girl for well over an hour.
✨✨✨
“Here, give these to Chanyeol,” Sehun shoves a nicely wrapped box into Jongin’s hands.
“What, why? What is this?” He asks, extremely confused.
“Chocolates. Say it’s for when he helped you in Herbology that one time.”
“Mate, that was like two years ago.”
“So what?”
“Here, hyung!” Jongin says with reddened cheeks and a fast beating heart as he holds out the box in front of Chanyeol. Sehun giggles from his space behind a pillar because Jongin looks like the girls from the muggle girl comics that Jinri always likes to read. He imagines Jongin saying “Please accept this, senpai!” Sehun chuckles at the thought.
“Oh wow, thanks Jonginnie! I love presents! What’s this for?” The taller boy grins, wide and excited as he takes the box from the younger boy’s hands.
“I...um...well...”
“Oh, my birthday!!! I almost forgot it was this week!!! Thanks for remembering! You’re too sweet Jongin!” He smiles even wider and wow Jongin didn't even know it was his birthday soon but damn he sure lucked out. Suddenly arms are wrapping around his frame and he’s engulfed in the sweet smell of Park Chanyeol. This must be what heaven feels like . He thinks to himself as he hugs the Slytherin male back and rests his chin on his shoulder.
“Open it,” Jongin says shyly after he reluctantly pulls away from their embrace.
Chanyeol tears off the wrapping unceremoniously. “Chocolates?! Wicked!! Thanks, Jongin. I can’t wait to eat these. And....merlin’s beard?! Are they home made?!” Not by me , Jongin thinks.
“Honestly, this is the nicest gift anyone’s ever given me. I know it came from the heart. You’re such a great friend, Jongin,” His smile this time is softer and Jongin’s only had the pleasure of seeing it on one other occasion. When Jongin had sincerely thanked him for helping him ace his herbology exam back in year three, explaining that without Chanyeol he’d never have accomplished it, the Slytherin male smiled at him softly and sweetly and told him he’d do it for Jongin anytime. Jongin also remembers him saying he’d do anything for him but that could just be his head adding things to make his crush seem less outrageous.
“It’s nothing, hyung. Happy Birthday.”
✨✨✨
“Wow I can’t believe he accepted them. Oh wait, yes I can because Park Chanyeol is like a human golden retriever. Eager to please and desperate for attention.”
“Shut up, Sehun. I still feel bad that he thought I made them for him. I didn’t even know it was his birthday! I’m shit. Absolute shit,” Jongin pouts in their little “best friend hideout” that the Room of Requirement conjured up for them back in year one when they were homesick and wanted to have a sleepover but couldn’t because they had to stay in separate dorms.
“No arguments here.” A pillow slams into Sehun’s face and he glares at the perpetrator. “What the fuck?”
“Don’t be a jerk....Hey, why did you make the chocolates anyway? And don’t lie and say it was for the sake of my relationship with Chanyeol hyung because you always have ulterior motives Oh Sehun.”
Sehun rolls his eyes, “Yeah the ulterior motive is that I’m tired of hearing you constantly whining about him. You’re chicken shit so I made a gift for you to give to him to help win his affections. That’s all.”
Jongin eyes him suspiciously, “I can’t tell if you’re a good friend or a shitty one. It’s leaning towards the latter.”
Sehun scoffs. “Would a shitty friend waste his time making a love potion for the guy you’re in love with?”
“YOU WHAT?”
✨✨✨
“Ow! Fuck! Sehun, get off me! You’re crushing my back,” Jongin’s painful groans are answered by a large hand pushing his head down.
“I’m just trying to see, Jongin,” he replies as he tries to spot the big eared dope known as Park Chanyeol from their hiding spot behind the side of the clock tower.
“Are you even sure he has Care of Magical Creatures right now?” Jongin asks with a bite of his lip.
“Yeah, I asked him.”
“Oh. Well do you see him?”
“No. And I’m pretty sure I’d notice a student that could pass off as a troll,” Sehun snickers to himself. The smack on his neck he receives courtesy of his best friend is well worth it.
“Who could pass off as a troll?”
“Um Chanyeol , Jongin. Only the guy we’ve been looking for, for the past 10 minutes. Try to keep up,” it’s only until after he finishes his sentence that he realizes that Jongin wasn’t the one that asked that.
“hey brat! I’m still your hyung!” Both fifth years shoot up and stare at the elder Slytherin boy in shock.
“Chanyeol hyung! H-hi!! How...um...how are you?” Jongin stutters out and it takes all of Sehun’s energy to resist the urge to facepalm himself. How someone could get nervous over talking to someone like Chanyeol is beyond him.
“Hi Jonginnie!” The elder boy lights up. “I’m good thanks! You look good today, too.” Sehun can’t stop the smug grin from spreading onto his face as he sees Jongin’s cheeks turn bright red. Chanyeol realizes his mistake soon enough and his already big eyes widen to impossible sizes as a blush creeps onto his own cheeks,“No! I mean you look like you’re doing good today. Not that you don’t look good because you look good everyday but I just mean that today you look like you are doing good and I’m gonna stop because I’m rambling now.” This time Sehun actually does facepalm and makes a mental note to never be as stupid as these two kids. Love seriously turns people into idiots.
“It’s okay. Thank you, hyung. You always look good too,” Jongin says shyly and once again Sehun is blinded by Chanyeol’s huge smile.
“Hey, Jongin. Do you maybe wanna go to Hogsmeade this weekend? With me, I mean. As a date, I mean. Unless you don’t want it to be a date in which case we can totally just go as friends and then we can pretend I never said the word date at all.” YES IT WORKED!! Sehun thinks to himself. Chanyeol’s hopeful expression makes Sehun so proud of himself because hell yeah, he’s a fucking great friend okay. Jongin, you are welcome.
Except, Jongin looks anything but happy at the turn of events. In fact, he looks quite distraught. Why are his eyes watering? Hello, Jongin? The weirdo of your dreams just asked you out. Chanyeol’s expression falls slightly after seconds of Jongin doing nothing but staring at the older Slytherin with a sad expression. Sehun decides to break his friend out of his reverie with a rough nudge of their shoulders.
Jongin shakes his head and sighs sadly, “If this were any other day, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. But you....you’re not yourself today, hyung. And tomorrow you’ll regret ever asking me.” Sehun can’t believe this kid. After all he did for him, he’s just gonna reject Chanyeol? How rude. Sehun is personally offended.
“Wait...what? What do you mean?” Chanyeol says, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Oh shit, no. Jongin better not tell him because Chanyeol’s best friend is a prefect and Kris is scary as fuck.
“The truth is hyung that-”
Thankfully enough, before Jongin can rat him out, a loud, “OH SEHUN” echos through the clock tower. All three boys turn to see the voice’s owner and Sehun is mildly shocked to find a red faced, disheveled Byun Baekhyun stomping straight towards him.
“Oh Sehun!” He shouts once again and his expression, Sehun must admit, is quite scary. What the hell did he do to piss off the fiery-tempered sixth year?
“Um...Byun Baekhyun!” He replies lamely.
“I have some things to say to you kid!” Baekhyun’s only a couple feet away now and Sehun’s heart rate is increasing rapidly. He chances a glance at his two companions and is disappointed to see that they are just as dumbfounded as he is. Was he about to get hexed? Should he get his wand out? What the fuck is happening?
“But before I say those things,” Baekhyun starts once he’s finally right under Sehun’s nose, “I’m gonna kiss you.”
Sehun doesn’t even get a chance to protest before he’s being pulled down by his tie and lips are smashing against his own.
“Holy shit!” he hears Chanyeol scream from beside him but he’s too busy trying to get out of the surprisingly strong boy’s hold. He finally pushes Baekhyun away none too politely once he feels hands grab at the flesh of his butt cheeks because that’s just not fucking cool.
“What the fuck, Baekhyun?!” Sehun shouts and wipes at his mouth aggressively.
“Yeah, I’m with him! What the fuck, Baekhyun?!” Chanyeol mimics.
“I’m in love with you, Sehun! I want you so bad! Please let me kiss you again! Your lips are so soft. Oh god I want you,” Baekhyun growls and moves to recapture Sehun into his embrace but luckily Jongin and Chanyeol pull him back.
“Baekhyun hyung, what is going on?” Jongin asks this time. Sehun wouldn’t have said it so nicely.
“I just said it! I’m in love with Sehun! Look I wrote a poem for you, darling:
Eyes of Brown,
Lips of Pink,
Around You,
I can’t even think,
Around my cock,
those lips should be,
All day all night,
We’d never stop,
In and out,
I’d let you top-”
“Okay, that’s enough!” Chanyeol covers Baekhyun’s mouth and glances at the two younger boys apologetically. “I don’t know what’s come over him. I didn’t even know he liked you, Sehun!”
Baekhyun pushes his hand away from his face, “My feelings only made themselves known today. I was in a dark place before I realized my love for you, Sehunnie. How could I have gone five whole years without loving you? All I know is, starting today and onwards, I’ll never love another soul.” Sehun feels bile rising in his throat.
He hears Jongin let out a loud gasp, “Wait a second....You said you just started liking him today? ”
“Jongin, why does it matter when he started liking me? Just make him stop!”
“I don’t like you, Sehun!” Baekhyun suddenly shouts. “I love you.” Sehun hides behind Jongin when Baekhyun starts to make kissy faces.
“Make him stop, please!”
“Chanyeol hyung, did you eat those chocolates I gave you?” Jongin asks and why the fuck does that matter?! Does he not realize his best friend is under attack?
“Um no. But I don’t understand what that has to do with anything?” Chanyeol says whilst putting a struggling Baekhyun into a headlock. The older male shouts and kicks but luckily for Sehun, the big oaf actually has some strength and can hold back his friend.
Sehun’s heart race suddenly increases when he sees the head boy and Jongin’s older cousin, Kim Junmyeon, rushing to the scene. (Although he doesn’t have the height or intimidating eyebrows of Kris, he’s still notorious for taking house points away like no other.) “What the bloody hell is going on here?!” He demands when he reaches the group of scuffling boys. “Jongin, I don’t know what you did but I’m already disappointed in you for getting involved with these idiots.”
The two Slytherin sixth years in question stop fighting long enough to give him an offended scoff followed by a disgruntled, “Hey!” before they’re back at each other’s throats. “Let me go, Chanyeol! Sehun needs me!” “Baekhyun, you’re scaring them. Stop it!”
“Both of you, stop it right now before I take 50 points from each of you!” Junmyeon shouts angrily and both boys shoot up immediately. When everyone has mostly calmed down and Baekhyun has settled for just shooting heart eyes at Sehun, the head boy tries again, “Good. Now can one of you give me a decent explanation for why Baekhyun is running around the castle singing sonnets about Sehun’s, and I quote, ‘bubble butt’?”
Sehun gasps in horror and can’t help the flush that spreads across his cheeks. He’s never had people talk about his butt before, let alone sing about it. (Although, he must admit he does have a great butt.)
“Hyung, I can explain-” Jongin starts.
“So can I! I’m in love with him, obviously,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes at Junmyeon before returning his piercing gaze on Sehun. Sehun involuntarily shudders.
“Will someone else, who’s preferably of sound mind and body, answer me before I have an aneurism?”
“Sehun put a love potion in some chocolates for me to give to Chanyeol but I think Baekhyun ate them instead,” Jongin finally says, looking nervously at the ground.
“You what?!” Junmyeon screams and Sehun flinches."Those are forbidden, Sehun! You could get expelled right this second! I should tell Professor McGonagall. Hell, I should tell the Headmaster! Seriously, of all the shit people have pulled this really-"
Sehun stops listening to the head boy's rant when he notices the looks the other his best friend and his crush are exchanging.
"You gave me chocolates laced with a love potion?" Chanyeol asks Jongin in a small voice, the hurt expression on his face stabs Sehun straight in the gut.
"Hyung, I-"
Chanyeol shakes his head, "That's.....really shitty, Jongin. You know most people would just ask their crush out.”
“Chanyeol, I swear I didn’t know until just now!” Jongin pleads desperately.
“Whatever, Jongin. Come on, Baekhyun. I’ll take you to Madam Pomfrey,” He shoots Jongin one last disappointed look before pulling a struggling Baekhyun away.
“Don’t worry, Sehun! I forgive you for drugging me! I’ll never stop loving you, baby!”
“Shut up, Baekhyun!”
“As for you two-” Junmyeon starts.
“Jongin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would end up like this,” Sehun ignores the head boy and says to his teary eyed best friend.
“It’s not your fault. It’s my fault for never having the courage to just ask him out myself. I know you were just trying to help,” he sighs sadly and begins walking back inside the castle.
“Hey, I’m not done reprimanding you!” Junmyeon shouts after his younger cousin.
Sehun runs a hand through his hair with a sigh before turning to the elder boy, “Junmyeon hyung please just take points from me. I’m the one that caused this. Jongin had nothing to do with it. I’ll take whatever punishment you see fit.”
Junmyeon blinks in shock, “That’s...surprisingly mature of you, Sehun.” He schools his expression into a stern one and straightens his shoulders. “Although love potions are forbidden and grounds for expulsion, I’ve decided not to tell the Headmaster and will just be taking 80 points from Slytherin.” Sehun flinches. 80 points?! That’ll knock Slytherin behind Ravenclaw and put them even farther behind Hufflepuff. “I’ll also be asking your head of house to give you three months detention. As long as your promise that you had good intentions at heart and won’t do it again.”
Sehun looks up at Junmyeon’s surprisingly soft expression and nods. “I know Jongin likes Chanyeol and you just wanted to help. But I also know that amortentia isn’t permanent nor is it real love, Sehun. How would Jongin feel if he found out that the love he thought Chanyeol had for him was only an effect of a potion?”
Knowing the question was a rhetorical one, Sehun stayed silent. He felt the shorter male place a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezing once before leaving Sehun alone to wallow in his misery.
How had everything gone to shit so quickly? Sehun was only trying to be a good friend. Now he had a heart broken best friend, a crazy senior who was obsessed with him and another one who probably would never speak to him again. Way to ruin everything, Sehun. He had to fix this. He had to make things right between Jongin and Chanyeol. But how could he convince the older male that Jongin had no part in the love potion poisoning? He vaguely wondered if there was another potion for this....
✨✨✨
After being reprimanded by a scandalized Yixing and lectured about how he shouldn’t meddle in the love affairs of others and let love blossom on it’s own, he decided he needed help from someone close Chanyeol. Someone who understood him. Unfortunately that person was also someone whom he’d recently given a love potion to.
“H-hey, Baekhyun hyung,” he smiles nervously as he makes his way towards Baekhyun’s bed in the hospital wing. A bright blush spreads across his cheeks and he shoots Sehun a glare before looking away.
“Hyung?”
“Please go away. You’re literally the last person I want to see right now,” he says quietly, still refusing to look at Sehun.
“I’m really sorry, hyung. It was supposed to be for Chanyeol hyung. I didn’t mean for you to get involved.”
“And that makes it okay?! I’m the laughing stock of the school because of you! I don’t even want to show my face around the dungeons,” he groans and buries his face in his hands.
Sehun sits himself on the bed next to his and looks down. “It’s not okay.I know you’re embarrassed and hurt and I’m really truly sorry. I fucked up. It was supposed to get them together finally but I just ruined whatever chance Jongin had.”
“You’re such a fucking idiot. You do know that whoever makes the potion is the one that the receiver falls in love with, right? Even if Chanyeol had eaten them, he wouldn’t have fallen in love with Jongin, he would've fallen in love with you,” Baekhyun laughs loudly and Sehun looks up in horror. “What?!”
“Man, I should hate your guts right now but you’re so pitiful I can’t help but feel bad for you,” Baekhyun says breathlessly after his laughing fit and wipes at his eyes with a grin.
“Wait so what was the point of me making it in the first place?!” Sehun shouts indignantly.
“Exactly, you twat! There was no point! Chanyeol already liked Jongin anyway,” Baekhyun says with roll of his eyes.
“D-did you just say Chanyeol already likes Jongin?!”
Baekhyun’s only response is a facepalm against his own forehead.