Hyunjin was not getting it.

Like, not at all.

And it was not that he wasn't intelligent enough, – although his sister and Changbin would've definitely stated otherwise – but he felt like the whole situation was just all too weird and odd to be considered a mere coincidence.

How on earth could have he expected not only one, but four people he was familiar with to be in the same room as he was, at past midnight on a foggy november night, and in a girl's bathroom on the second floor that had basically become home to the most annoyingly whiny ghost he knew of?

He sent a glare trying to catch every single detail that was happening right in that very moment in the now crammed room: on his right stood Changbin, who was leaning casually against one of the walls. He looked so chill that, if he had taken a photo of the friend and then showed it to other people, they would've never guessed what was actually going on around him.

In front of them, in fact, were the two Head Boys (Chan and Woojin), who were examinating the hole and – most importantly – the two people who had fallen in: the ladders were Jeongin, a fellow Ravenclaw, and Felix, a Hufflepuff Hyunjin had never payed a great deal of attention to before that night, but who he had clearly seen arguing with Jeongin just an hour earlier.

More or less in the same position where they had found them – and that was, with their backs to the entrance and their gazes firmly focused on Jeongin and Felix – were Y/n (a Gryffindor he and Changbin had had to debate with a while ago), and Seungmin, a fifth year that, although Hyunjin didn't really know that well, had sassily shut he and Changbin up during the ride to Hogwarts on the Express that september.

"Felix? Jeongin? Are you okay?" was asking Woojin, screaming slightly to make sure he could be well-heard.

"Yes!" a voice came from beyond the hole, but it was so huffled that Hyunjin couldn't make up who it exactly belonged to. "It's fine here, there's nothing special – well, other than a slight coat of water. I mean – it's only up to our ankles, it's nothing terrible".

The news didn't surprise the Ravenclaw in the slightest: no matter where precisely that strange creature had gone, it had left behind a rather consistent amount of water behind it. Hyunjin wasn't exactly sure how it had happened, because never a Water Ball had had that effect, but he assumed that maybe it had simply been because the snake had tried to eat it, and consequently ingested it.

"Do you think it's safe if we all come down?" was asked once again, though this time by Chan.

"Oh, bugger safety" now it was the Gryffindor girl who had spoken up. "My friend has gone lost somewhere down there, and we've already wasted enough time. Now, I'm happy y'all are here and stuff, so you can go and report everything; but with or without your leave, I'm going".

And, before anyone could find anything to answer to that, she carefully took off and landed with a soft tump on the floor, accentuated by the many splashes of the water.

"Y/N!" Seungmin yelled, and jumped in too.

Pfttt, what a mess. Hyunjin was about to say something highly sarcastic, but Changbin anticipated him: "So? Are we gonna stay here and watch while everybody's down there living their best life?"

The Ravenclaw smirked, and followed the friend down the hole. "Make way!", they screamed, and landed safely as well.

The corridor in which they found themselves was a lot more dark than Hyunjin had expected, but he was still able to make out the silhouettes of four other people.

A few moments later, Chan and Woojin also descended – but did it so gracefully they were almost not even heard.

Lastly, a silvery glowy figure also made her appearance: it didn't take a genius to figure out who it was.
Moaning Myrle furrowed her brows. "So? What are you waiting for?"

And as a consequence, – whether because of self-willingness, or to avoid being scolded once again by the ghost, the Ravenclaw didn't know – they all started walking, in almost perfect unison.

Which direction to take was not a problem in the slightest: the water path (which, Hyunjin assumed, had originated in the infamous History of Magic corridor) seemed to be in no way about to stop – which long term would definitely end up being  problem, but at the moment it was proving rather helpful.

As they kept walking, the corridor became more and more narrow, until it suddenly came to a halt: a small entrance now led to a slightly wider room, that (unlike the path they had been on so far), was completely flat and parallel to the ground.

That was when the problems started: being completely levelled, the water had spread evenly on the entire surface, and on the two corridors branching out of the room.

"Where should we go?" asked Jeongin, clearly conflicted.

"Zero idea" answered Changbin. Everyone else silently nooded, as if in agreement.

After a few seconds (during which he had been telling something to Woojin, that Hyunjin had not been able to understand), Chan spoke up: "I see no other way but to part: we're eight. Four go on one side, four on the other. I don't know if they both lead to something, but in case one of them doesn't – we turn back and take the other. Agreed?"

Again, there seemed to be no objection. "I'll go right" Y/n said, moving towards one of the two corridors.

"Yeah, me too" was fast to add Seungmin, nearing the girl.

"I'll follow them" proposed Chan. Then, roaming with his gaze around the room, settled his eyes on Changbin. "And you come with us, uh?"

Though reluctant to part from the friend, Hyunjin had no choice but to follow the other three guys towards the opposite corridor. Silent but clearly visible in her silvery glow, Moaning Myrtle followed suit.

As he heard the steps of the other group walking the opposite way, the Ravenclaw felt a sudden wave of terror hitting him: where were they going, exactly? And most importantly – what were they setting themselves up to face?

~🤍~
skz comeback in two days LETS GOOOOOOO (*pirate king starts playing in @vittoriiax_'s head* but what's new)

definitely expect an album review on thursday lmao –
but ALSo a jisung chapter so, i mean😌😌

q: how many comebacks have you had with stray kids?
for me this will be my second! (i started stanning in september 2019).

see ya~

Vic🌙.