Seeker of my Heart

11. Real Conversation

Yoongi fumed. He wanted to call Shaw up to the dueling table and lay her flat. Humiliate her the way she did to him. He still bore the bruise around his eye to prove it. He wasn't exactly sure why he didn't let Madame Pomfrey or Hoseok remove it for him, perhaps because it was his first battle scar. Perhaps because every time Shaw looked at it she lost the color in her cheeks.

Instead of getting to teach her a much deserved lesson, Yoongi was staring down some fifth year whose name he couldn't remember. The boy was quick and knew spells beyond his years but Yoongi was the superior combatant. Yoongi drew the duel out for a few minutes longer than it should have lasted, trying to think of a way to get his revenge.

He wouldn't stoop to her level and attack her out of context but there had to be something he could do to get even. Honestly he wasn't even sure why she hated him so much. He lost his temper a little bit in the locker rooms and the walk back to the castle but why did she react that way to him when he'd seen her take the insult so casually before?

"Diffindo."

In his distraction Yoongi missed the cues for the spell the frustrated fifth year was casting and instead of defusing the spell, he flicked it away. Both boys stared at each other in shock and fear. The fifth year because he truly didn't mean to cast that spell and Yoongi because they weren't supposed to use spells that could maim their fellow students.

"Down, now." He hissed through clenched teeth.

His heart was racing in slight panic and irritation. The dueling club was on its last straw, he'd been told the last time they sent one of their members to the hospital wing, that if they had even a single other incident that they would be finished.

Yoongi's feet hit the floor in the same second that he heard a muffled cry of pain come from the back corner where he'd redirected the spell. "Shit." He mumbled under his breath as the crowd parted and he moved toward the cowering student.

He could see the torn remnants of an old and threadbare robe as it hung loosely from one shoulder and blood poured from an entire chunk of missing flesh. His heart sank in shared pain and frustration. Next to Quidditch, dueling was his second favorite activity in school. He didn't want to give it up but he couldn't in all good conscience put his fellow students in danger.

"Everyone leave." He said a moment later, knowing the rumor of this incident would spread like wildfire through the castle. "Namjoon," He called to his tall friend before he could clear out of the room as well. He would need help bringing this student to Madame Pomfrey.

The wounded individual didn't turn and Yoongi could only make out the smallest sounds of pain or discomfort. It made him frown as he waited for everyone to leave. Namjoon came to stand next to him and he looked ashen at the sight of the blood. Yoongi tried not to roll his eyes but failed. Luckily Namjoon was too busy paying attention to the grotesque sight before them.

"Come on," Yoongi said after a few seconds of struggling with what to do. "We need to get this taken care of."

"No." Yoongi was slightly surprised when the denial didn't come from Namjoon and he recognized the voice. "If they find out this happened, they will close our club." Shaw said as she turned slowly to finally face them. She was holding the front of her robes to her chest as she bent slightly forward as if scrunching away from the pain.

"We can't just leave you like this." Namjoon said hotly, regaining some of his composure now that the sight of the blood was no longer directly in his face.

Shaw smiled as she tried to shrug and then winced. "I should be fine. Caleb knows a few spells. It's not like this is my first time maiming myself." She chuckled darkly and Yoongi could hear the press of tears in the back of her throat.