Timeless: Hours of Anguish [ATEEZ Hogwarts AU]

Saturday, December 3rd

Saturday, December 3rd. 12:45AM. Hogwarts, Slytherin Dorms. Choi San.

Wide awake, San stared up into the darkness above him as he listened to his dormmates' slow breaths and quiet snores. He'd been waiting for Mingi to fall asleep so he could finally steal back the time turner. It was almost one in the morning when San decided to push aside his sheets and climbed out of bed.

Mingi's bed was right next to his, so it only took him a few steps to get there. He soundlessly peeked at his best friend's peaceful face. He was fast asleep, just as expected.

San grinned to himself mischievously as he crouched down, careful not to make a sound. He inspected the nightstand beside Mingi's bed, looking for the golden device. San's grin widened in triumph when he found it in the very first drawer he opened.

He was just about to tiptoe back to his own bed when a hand around his wrist pulled him back. San yelped in surprise at the sudden attack and turned around. Mingi's arm had shot forward to stop him from escaping and San had gotten so startled that Mingi was able to the time turner from his hands with ease.

"I knew you were going to do this!" Mingi scolded in a whisper-yell as he sat up on his bed.

San scowled and pulled his wrist out of Mingi's grip before crossing his arms over his chest. "I wouldn't have had to do it if you hadn't taken it from me in the first place! Just, please give it back!" he whisper-yelled back.

Mingi rose to his feet. "No! I told you, it's not good for you!"

After another minute of squabbling, they decided to move their discussion downstairs in order not to wake the others.

"I just need to see him..." San said as they stepped into the dimly lit common room.

The golden light coming from the fireplace bathed the whole room in a warm glow.

He turned around to face Mingi who had followed close behind him, a tired but serious expression on his face. There was no trace of his usual goofy and playful self.

"I know, man. I really do get it. But I don't want you to get hurt," he said, "I can tell how much it messes with you."

San looked away. "I don't know what you mean..." he lied.

Mingi sighed and stepped closer to him, taking his hand. "The guilt. I'm talking about the guilt. You think it's your fault that they took him," he replied knowingly. "But that's just not true. It's not any of our faults. And even if it was, that's not what important right now. What's important right now is that we get him out of there. Which we will."

San avoided his eyes.

His best friend knew him too damn well.

Tears threatened to form in San's eyes. "I need to see him," he repeated stubbornly.

Mingi seemed to contemplate his next words for a moment. He glanced at the time turner in his hands and bit his lip in thought before sighing, "Alright, alright."

San's head perked up in surprise.

"But only under two conditions," Mingi added.

"Yeah?"

"One, I'm coming with you. I don't wanna leave you alone with this."

"Fine. What else?"

"Two, we're going back to something very recent. We can't be roaming around a bunch of jolly memories. If we observe the people who took him, maybe we can even get some useful information."

San felt uneasy about the idea of seeing Wooyoung captured again. Of course he knew that Mingi was right, but that didn't ease his fear one bit. "Fine. You're right. Let's be smart about this," he decided.