Should I Care?

*His costume is a piece of cardboard box messily decorated to look like the Hogwarts express and attached to the sides of his wheelchair. Zeke spent some time wheeling around shouting, ‘choo, choo!’ but was now still by the bar, looking at the menu critically.*

Which one of these tastes like candy? *He’s not considering the alcohol content at all. It’s Halloween, and he has eaten less than fifty pieces of candy so far. It’s a tragedy that has to be fixed with more sugar.*

“None of them, they all taste like alcohol either way.”

Interesting thought process. I’m Mephistopheles, he’s a character in German folklore. There’s a whole lot of literature based on the story. Definitely worth exploring. I might have some of the older classes dive into it now that I think about it. 

“Right.. have no idea who that is. I suppose you read a lot.”

“I kissed you, idiot,” she says, confused for a moment before she squints to look at him in the dark lights, wondering why he sounded different. It takes her moment, but she recognizes Seungmin in the features, rounder and with a more youthful look than Kai’s slender nose. “Oh,” she blurts, awkward, but pushes it away with a bit more force needed than expected from someone who was not supposed to care who she kissed. With determination, she switches the confusion into offense. “What, are you trying to tell me that was your first kiss or something? Don’t act so weird. I’ve ‘eard I’m good at it.”

“It was just a surprise, am I not allowed to be surprised when... someone unexpected kisses me?” He hesitated a moment, lingering on her face for a few seconds. What has he supposed to call her? His brother’s girlfriend? His brother’s fling? A classmate? Acquaintance? In the back of his mind, there’s something telling him to let it go, stop being so awkward. But this has to do with his brother, and he can’t have another repeat of Japan. “So um, do you kiss people often?”

Well, of course. That’s really the best thing about a costume party. Didn’t you think through yours?

“I’m pale, thought the white would blend in well with my skin. So what’s the story behind yours?”

I’m actually not the devil - I’m an agent of the devil, who comes to earth to try to lure people to him. It’s actually a fascinating story, you would love it.

“You really thought through your costume didn’t you.”

For a moment that later, once she realized this was actually Seungmin, she knew Kai would deem racist, Mila mistakes his brother for himself. (If she needs to defend herself in the future, she’ll blame it all on the club’s lighting and the fact that they are siblings, after all.) And instinctively, she reaches forward to give him a kiss - not deep and passionate, but quick with a small fire and broken between words. “I would love a glass of wa’er, or anything else you can get me to drink, yeah?”

At first when her lips touch his he’s shocked. It’s short and unexpected and by the time she’s done talking he’s gathered himself enough to revert back to his original face. “I... what’d you say? ...what’d you just do?” His mind’s on how her lips just touched his own and Kai. This was the girl that his brother has been talking about right?

University students are definitely welcome! General Hogsmede residents would need permission to come onto school grounds, though. I was going to suggest to the village council that they make their own classes when they next have a meeting. I don’t know if there’s already something going on or not.

You should definitely come, though. Henry’s coming, and I thing Seunghwa is, but mostly because Henry’s blackmailing him with something he did over the summer that your mother wouldn’t like..? I don’t know details, I just know he went pale and agreed to come. And Minho said he’d teach a couple of lessons in first aid.

Kai said, and I’m quoting directly, ‘If I wanted to spend my evenings watching children try and fail to cast basic shielding charms I’d have joined dueling club years ago’. Which I think was a maybe. I’m going to get Nerissa to talk to him about it, he’ll listen to her.

“Sounds fun, if Henry’s blackmailing Seunghwa then he’ll probably come after me next. I might as well go. Also, I’d love to see Minho’s face as he deals with all of us. 

“Well does Kai know that all his precious brothers will be there? I know we’re his favorites so if you just mention us I’m sure he’ll come running. I’m sure Henry would be able to concince him anyways, just bat his eyes. He’s probably got some blackmail in there too, I’m sure he something on all of us.”