Chapter Three;

"What subjects are you taking?" Padma asked, as she and Seohyun trudged down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning.

Seohyun ticked each subject off her fingers as she listed them. "Defence, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Potions, Ancient Runes, Astronomy. I was considering History of Magic, then I realised that English history would be much different to Korean history, and it would be disadvantageous for me to take it."

"It's a good job you didn't. History of Magic was easily the most boring class in the school – Professor Binns was so dry."

The way Padma blanched as she spoke, as though reliving particularly horrid memories, made Seohyun thank her foresight to not take the subject.

"Good thing I had good sense, then," she laughed as they meandered into the Great Hall. Seohyun closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She had always loved the smell of food.

"I was surprised to learn Occulmency wasn't part of any courses, though," she commented.

Padma's eyes widened. "You learned Occulmency?"

"Yeah. Our headmistress believed it was beneficial to learn how to keep our thoughts private from others so they couldn't be exploited – she considered it a form of self-defence."

The lessons had been among Seohyun's favourites – especially after the introductory lesson in fourth year, when her headmistress, who took the class personally, described the benefits and necessity of being able to defend one's mind. The speech had stuck with Seohyun ever since, and was part of the reason why she was so baffled Hogwarts didn't offer what she considered to be such an imperative course.

"That would be handy to know," Padma mused.

They came to a stop at the Ravenclaw table, where two seats had been left free for them beside three other boys. The two girls slipped into the available seats. Seohyun swallowed as the eyes of several unfamiliar people zoned in on her at once.

"These are the rest of the Ravenclaws – Terry Boot, Michael Corner, and Anthony Goldstein," Padma introduced cheerily, pointing out each boy in turn. "Terry's the only one who takes Astronomy, while you share Ancient Runes with myself and Anthony."

"Nice to meet you, Seohyun," the boy, Terry Boot, said. He offered his hand.

Seohyun smiled. "You as well," she said quietly, taking in Terry's mop of light brown hair and blue eyes. He seemed nice enough – the other two as well, she thought, though Michael looked a bit more withdrawn than the others.

Breakfast passed pleasantly. Seohyun was quiet for most of it, though not for being excluded. The others included her in their conversations and asked her ample questions, but she preferred to observe new situations – a habit she'd developed with her artist's eye. When she wasn't talking to the other Ravenclaws her eyes scanned the Great Hall as she nibbled on unfamiliar food, taking in each of the laughing students.

Again, the House separation stood out for her more than anything. Seohyun bit her lip, decidedly uncomfortable with the arrangement. She dearly missed Areum Academy at that moment, where everyone sat in one large group. Hogwarts seemed so much lonelier in that regard.

When breakfast finished, a tiny professor Padma pointed out to be Professor Flitwick came around, handing out new timetables to all of the Ravenclaw.

"Ah, Miss Park!" he squeaked, once appearing by Seohyun's side. "Welcome to Hogwarts, and to Ravenclaw! I must say I was delighted to hear about your Sorting from Professor McGonagall."

Seohyun smiled. "Thank you, Professor."

She handed him her grades from the previous year, and was instantly cleared for all of them. Seohyun waited until Padma and the others to be cleared for all of their subjects. Anthony took Ancient Runes as well as herself and Padma, and as a group they dashed off for a first-period Ancient Runes lesson.

Seohyun was very much relieved that she had Padma and Anthony to guide her to Ancient Runes for without them, she would have become helplessly lost. She supposed that she could have asked the ghosts or the portraits for directions, though she wasn't sure which of them were helpful. Padma had already warned her about Peeves the Poltergeist. Seohyun had made a mental note to do as much as was humanly possible to avoid Peeves in the future.

The Ancient Runes classroom was mostly full when they arrived, with only a few seats available. Unfortunately, there was no table of three – though there were two tables adjacent to each other. A girl with bushy brown hair already occupied the seat of one of the tables. It took a moment for Seohyun to remember Hermione Granger's name, and when she did, she beamed.

"I'll sit next to Hermione," Seohyun said, as a debate ensued amongst the other two as to who would sit where.

Anthony raised his eyebrows. "You know Hermione?"

"We met on the train."

No one argued, so Seohyun slipped into the spare chair. Hermione moved her textbooks to the side to make room for Seohyun and sent her a warm smile.

"I thought you might get Ravenclaw," the brunette commented. "Creativity and individuality... I guessed that the minute I noticed your art set."

Seohyun frowned. "Are the Houses that easy to define?"

Hermione began outlining the different traits associated with each House, and was just finishing with Slytherin as their professor entered. As she commenced the class, Seohyun chewed on her lip, lost in thought.

Ambitious. Cunning. Those were the traits of Slytherin. None of them stated 'evil' or 'future Death Eater' - yet here nearly every student in Hogwarts was, treating the House like a taboo. It was an unfair assumption. Seohyun knew it would be as easy for someone in Ravenclaw to become a Death Eater - it was even possible for the other two Houses. 

Is it even possible for these definitive boundaries to be overcome? Is it possible for Hogwarts to be united?

+++

Despite their huge load of homework, Seohyun had thoroughly enjoyed Ancient Runes. She only wished that she could have enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts nearly as much.

Their teacher, Severus Snape, was the most unpleasant person Seohyun had the misfortune to cross paths with. When he asked the class about the advantage of non-verbal spells, Hermione's hand had snapped up a considerable amount of time before Seohyun's. Seohyun had not missed the way Snape's eyes lingered on Hermione's hand before turning pointedly to Seohyun. Seohyun had felt terrible after witnessing how downcast Hermione became afterward.

At least she'd managed to cast a non-verbal Shield Charm with five minutes to go before the end of class. Seohyun was thoroughly relieved to be able to leave the classroom for lunch.

After lunch, Seohyun joined the others as they headed to the dungeons for her first Potions lesson. She smiled when she saw Hermione, followed by two boys – Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. There was another boy in a Hufflepuff tie, and four in Slytherin emerald.

Padma had pointed out the blonde boy as Draco Malfoy. Seohyun pursed her lips as she considered the boy, trying to understand what cause so many people to dislike him. There was a certain arrogance to his stance and he carried with him an air of superiority – though her critical eye noticed something else. A tightness to his facial features

Before she had more time to ponder, the dungeon door opened and the belly of their professor, Slughorn, preceded him out of the door. As they filed into the room, his great walrus mustache curved above his beaming mouth, and he greeted Harry Potter and a Slytherin student with particular enthusiasm.

Seohyun inhaled deeply upon walking into the room, which was already full of vapors. She joined her fellow Ravenclaws at a table in front a cauldron in which a mud-like substance bubbled lazily. Seohyun recognised it at once as Polyjuice Potion.

From the table Hermione was at, Seohyun could catch the faintest waft of what she suddenly realised as her favourite smells in the world – mint leaves, Korean barbeque meat, her paints and the pages in her artbook. She found that she was breathing very slowly and deeply; there was no doubt that potion was Amortenia.

Slughorn went through the numerous potions with the class. Seohyun's hand hit the air the same time as Hermione's as he pointed out the Polyjuice Potion, though Hermione was quickest to answer everything else.

"That's the first time I've seen anyone beat Hermione to answer a question before," Anthony said as they lit their cauldrons.

"Well, Potions and Astronomy are my favourite subjects," Seohyun said, shrugging. "I've devoted most of my time to them."

The prize of Felix Felicis tantalised Seohyun's mind throughout the entire time they brewed their potions. She soon grew irritated at her potion, which resolutely refused to achieve the results the textbook said she should be. Seohyun suddenly wished she had her Korean textbook with her so she would be able to compare the results. She wondered if it would be too much hassle to order that as well.

Though, perhaps her potions' poor results weren't just a result of the textbook, but Seohyun's distraction: her gaze kept flicking to Draco Malfoy.

She hadn't failed to notice the way, at the mention of Felix Felicis, he had straightened in his chair to give Slughorn his undivided attention, when he had previously lounged back in his seat as though bored by the class. When Slughorn told them they could commence, the blonde started to feverishly riffle through his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. He didn't just want the lucky day – he was desperate for it. He was strained and feverish throughout the entire potion-brewing, almost obsessed.

Seohyun frowned, trying to understand his odd behaviour. From the looks the other Slytherins sent his way, this wasn't normal behaviour for him. Something was going on, and Seohyun's curiosity was aroused.

"Your curiosity is going to be the end of you one day," her mother had sighed once. Seohyun's curious nature led to endless questions and being unable to sleep until she had the answer to a question, and led to read numerous books just for the thrill of learning.

Now, that natural curiosity was once more being raised to the surface.

Neither Seohyun or Draco Malfoy won the Felix Felicis – that victory went to Harry Potter. Seohyun wouldn't deny she was envious, though Draco looked positively angered and frustrated about it. At that moment he looked like a man who had his greatest hope stolen from him.

Had he, possibly? Seohyun tugged on her hair absently, chewing on her bottom lip.

Though they had yet to speak a word, Seohyun Park was undoubtedly intrigued by the wizard that was Draco Malfoy.

**********

i am so, so sorry for the delay in updating, everyone. i have no excuse except school and lack of motivation. however, i have revisited this story this morning and planned it all out and now, my excitement has returned and i know exactly where this is going! from now on i am aiming for weekly updates for i'm so excited for what is to come, and i hope you are too!

also are you ready for the rest of this story because i'm the author and i'm not ready at all just a little heads up.....!!

anyway, it seems that seohyun is definitely intrigued by draco, and meeting new people as well! her first proper encounter with draco is the next chapter... how do you think that'll go down??

(also can we appreciate the beauty that is krystal jung)

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