double, double, toil and trouble

Chapter 18

As soon as Donghyuck woke up, a sense of foreboding settled over his body, apprehension manifesting in his mind as he pulled himself out of bed reluctantly.

As the events from yesterday come flooding back to him- the kiss, the potion, the fight- like the regretful memories of a drunk night out, Donghyuck groans as he curses all four founders of Hogwarts.

Nothing could get him in his dorm room. He could just hide under his covers, secluded from the world outside of his Common Room...

But as his stomach begins to grumble and hunger pains set in, Donghyuck reasons that he can't run from his problems forever, and naively he tries to convince himself that on his quest for some toast and perhaps bacon, everything will be relatively okay...

This fleeting optimism quickly crumbles when he arrives at the Great Hall, only to have all eyes on him, everyone looking his way, their hushed conversations turning to the topic of him.

Some people glance over at Mark, some at Kaito, but the majority keep an eagle-eyed stare on Donghyuck as he slowly drags himself over to the Slytherin table, his mind screaming at him to just breathe and calm down, but his heartbeat stays erratic.

It was like he was some sort of exhibition- a piece of art or an exotic animal that people flocked to and observed shamelessly. He was a walking spectacle- and as he skirted around the edge of the room, he could just pick up bits and pieces of conversations, of those too shocked to hide their gossip.

"Him and Mark? Really? Mark Lee?"

"Yes, but did you hear about the fight last night?"

"No? What fight?"

"Him and Kaito- it was in front of the Gryffindor Common Room- there, look, don't you see the bruises on his face?"

It took every ounce of Donghyuck's self-control not to lift his hand up to his busted lip.

"How did he ever manage to trick Mark into a relationship? Surely he's too smart for that?"

"What do you mean? He's gorgeous and part of the Slytherin's Quidditch team- what if Mark was the one who charmed him?"

"Maybe? Perhaps it was a love potion-?"

"It's just so weird!"

Donghyuck wants to bark at them to mind their own business. Still, for the first time since he stepped foot into this hall seven years ago, Donghyuck feels like his tiny and unsure eleven-year-old self again. He feels like he has no voice. He feels as though he just wants to sink into the floor, for everyone to just stop talking and divert their gaze.

He doesn't dare look towards the Gryffindor table in fear of catching Mark's eye as he hasn't thought about what to say to him after all the events of yesterday. He knows Mark wants to talk, and Donghyuck wants to make sure he's okay too... but as soon as he sees Jaemin sat waiting for him with a regretful expression adorning his features- Donghyuck thinks that it'll just have to wait.

There's a red envelope just off to Jaemin's side, at the place where Donghyuck would typically sit, and even from a few feet away, he recognises what it is immediately.

He's got a Howler, no doubt from his parents.

There's no time for Jaemin to offer any words of comfort like he usually does when Donghyuck's parents insult or offend him because when the envelope senses Donghyuck's presence, it jumps to life. Immediately it begins spitting out the words written in ink like they're venom and everyone in the Great Hall falls silent as they listen in.