𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 ⁿᵃ ʲᵃᵉᵐⁱⁿ ✔︎

(33) Don't give Hyuck any powder

Donghyuck didn't know exactly what to do when he had found himself in Diagon alley. He wasn't exactly in a place where he usually goes to drink Butterbeer with Renjun. It was rather a dark alleyway, leading off from Diagon alley. The lost boy studied the area and spotted a few suspicious looking wizards, some glancing at his way with dirty smirks and winks, but he didn't fail to catch the sight of a wooden sign, pointing towards the area with the words "Knockturn alley" written on it faintly.

"Why am I here? How did I get here?" He whispered to himself. Then he realised he was holding a bit of floo powder in his hands and memories from a few minutes ago crashed into his mind like a train.

Literally a few minutes ago, in the Gryffindor common room at 3:35 am...

"So why do you have these pretty green glittery powder?" Donghyuck asked, staring at the floo powder with curious eyes.

Mark smirked as he watched him taking a handful of those powder. "It takes you to places, Hyuck and it also lets you have your head transported into some other fireplaces."

"I want to go to the Weasley's wizard wheezes and buy myself a pair of extendable ears to scare off Ivy and Chenle." Donghyuck chuckled, throwing the fire out of the fireplace and stepping inside. "This feels very...thrilling."

And then he landed in this unfamiliar alley after muttering out the words such as "turn...""knock" and eventually, "alley". He exited the fire place and headed outside, knowing that he wasn't going to like the place.

The alleyway was overwhelming. The dark closed buildings, barely lit street lamps, the wizards- they all looked the same to him. Every single step felt like nothing and it seemed like he didn't move an inch. He was lost and he didn't know how to go back without floo powder. His only hope was Mark Lee but that thought alone seemed very doubtful. He had only mentioned visiting Weasley's shop and not some dark alley.

Deciding to explore secretly, he marched towards the Borgin and Burkes, a place devoted strongly to dark arts and sold strange, magical objects. He hugged himself for warmth as snow flakes covered his body like a white blanket.

"Are you sure it was a good idea?"

"Yes, he said no one saw his face."

Donghyuck heard voices coming from the front door. A man, who appeared to be in his early twenties stood in front of someone, his back facing the Gryffindor student. The young man let the older one enter the shop, looking around to catch any curious eyes. Luckily for Donghyuck, he hid under a dead Bush, barely covering his whole body while he held in a sneeze.

"Uhm, tea." The boy smirked, stuffing his hands in his his pockets and hurrying towards the shop's windows. He noticed a tall black haired man, probably Chinese, sipping on a cup of hot chocolate while the other one, who wore riches from head to toe, sat beside the young man. "Wait, he looks familiar?"

"Isn't he..." Donghyuck squinted his eyes and focused them on the older man, studying his features and expressions. There was a few moments of silence before a light bulb turned on above his head.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" Someone whispered behind him, catching Donghyuck off guard and almost forcing a scream out of his mouth.

"Jungwoo?" He asked, blinking hard while trying to calm down his heart.

The blond cracked a small smile and offered Donghyuck his warm jacket. "Are you trying to prove that you're brave at four in the morning?"

Donghyuck shook his head, silently thanking Jungwoo for the jacket before answering him with proper words. "Accidentally flooed myself here. What about you?"

"Me?" Jungwoo asked again. "Don't tell anyone, but I've heard the rumors about Zhong Liang hiding in this very shop. I wanted to check it out by myself and my mind was very curious about what's real and what's not."

"To the point you're losing sleep over it?"

Jungwoo nodded with a small pout.

By the time Jungwoo took Donghyuck back to Hogwarts, Mark was waiting for the exhausted boy in front of the fireplace, regretting his choice of letting him use his floo powder.

"I'm sorry for not warning you." Mark sheepishly apologised, rubbing his nape with an awkward smile.

"You did me a favour." Donghyuck smirked, pulling Mark to a corner. Even though there was no presence nearby, the boy scanned the common room before continuing. "I think I saw Zhong Liang."

"What? Where?"

"Listen, when I used the floo powder, it took me to Knockturn alley. I didn't know how to return so I decided to roam around. It was a little creepy though...but anyways, I heard Zhong Liang's voice. Well, I assume it was his because he sounded very young and secretive."

"Donghyuck, you can't just think this man is him. He could be anywhere and I don't think Liang-"

"Come on! I'm very sure. After bumping into Jungwoo, my guess was confirmed." Donghyuck defended his theory, explaining why the Ravenclaw wanted to prove himself that Zhong Liang was, indeed, nearby.

Mark could only sigh. He wished to believe his friend but he wanted to see the murderer with his own eyes before fooling himself. "You should go to sleep."

"I'm not finished." He groaned, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. "You wouldn't believe whom I saw with Liang, talking as if they're close friends."

"Enlighten me."

"Zhong Liang invited a man over to the Burgin and Burkes and talked about something important with him. They went inside and I, being the nosy person I am, stalked them through the window."

Donghyuck started to explain why he had found the spot next to the window the best and the more useful space to spy on someone from outside. But Mark wasn't interested, he was unpatiently waiting for him to reveal the other man's identity.

"The man was old. Not a grandpa, but I would say he's probably in his early fifties."

"Drop the name Hyuck."

"It was Jaemin's father. I saw Mr.Na with Zhong Liang."

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I was dancing to black mamba and then when I was doing the chorus where u have to go down, I ripped my favourite pair of pants pls k word me🥲