Jungkook~
I've faced a lot of terrifying things in my life—failing a Transfiguration test, nearly turning my arm into a jellyfish in Potions, that one time Y/N caught me sneaking chocolate into the dorm past curfew.
But nothing compares to this.
The Tri-House Tournament Arena is alive. Literally.
The moment we step past the gates, the ground shifts beneath our boots, the trees groan like they've been fed dark magic, and the sky above isn't even the real sky—it's a bewitched dome, flickering between night and day like it's glitching.
On my left, Jimin rolls his shoulders back, cocky as ever, spinning his wand between his fingers like it's a toy.
On my right, Taehyung adjusts his gloves, squinting around like he's still not sure if this is a game or a dream.
The crowd roars. The students are seated high in the stands, every house flag flapping above them.
And somewhere in that crowd, I know Y/N is biting her nails down to the bone.
"Welcome to the First Round!" booms Professor McGonagall's voice, magnified by charm. "Contestants, prepare to face three levels of magical obstacles. The first, a maze. The second, a test of reflexes and spells. The third..." she pauses, dramatic as ever, "...a battle of wit and instinct."
"Wit?" I mutter. "Okay. We've got this."
"Good luck," Jimin says casually. "You'll need it."
I don't answer. I'm too focused. I can hear my heartbeat. I can feel the wand in my palm, warm and steady.
"Begin!"
🔹 Level One – The Maze of Trickery
The second I step into the maze, the world goes silent. The hedges around me grow taller than the Hogwarts towers, and the air is thick with illusions. Shadows move on their own. I cast a clarity charm every ten steps to make sure I'm not falling for a trap.
A screech echoes from somewhere nearby—someone's triggered a false exit. I ignore it and push forward.
Then—BAM!
The ground beneath me cracks open, but I leap just in time, rolling across to safety.
"Nice try," I mutter under my breath.
I twist left. Dodge right. Whisper the path-revealing charm we learned last week. The route shimmers faintly. I take off.
The exit is in sight.
🔹 Level Two – The Reflex Gauntlet
I barrel into the next round only to be met with blazing orbs flying straight at my face.
"Protego!" I yell, shielding myself just in time. The spell ricochets, taking out two more coming from above.
The ground beneath me becomes a spinning platform. Every ten seconds, a new magical hazard appears—blinding light, sudden darkness, enchanted wind meant to throw us off balance.
I leap. Duck. Counter.
A jet of fire narrowly misses my arm, singing the edge of my robe.
But I stay standing.
Others aren't as lucky—someone from Hufflepuff flies off the platform with a yelp.
I can't worry about them. Just have to keep moving.
🔹 Level Three – The Puzzle of the Mind
By the time I get to the final stage, I'm breathless and sweaty, but laser-focused.
I walk into a circular room. There's no door, no ceiling—just a riddle floating midair, glowing green:
"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?"
I grin.
"An echo," I say confidently.
The room shudders. A door appears. I rush through it.
A second riddle appears:
"I have cities, but no houses. Mountains, but no trees. Water, but no fish. What am I?"
Come on... this is basic.
"A map."
Boom. The floor shifts again.
One last question floats up in blazing gold:
"The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?"
Easy.
"Footsteps."
The wall vanishes.
And just like that—I'm the first to cross the finish line.
The crowd erupts. I look up, breathless and grinning, and lock eyes with Y/N in the crowd. Her mouth's open, one hand on her chest, like she's halfway between a panic attack and a proud mom.
I wave.
She doesn't wave back. She just sprints down from the stands.
"Here we go," I mumble.
A second later, she crashes into me, arms flying around my neck.
"Are you insane?! You could've died! Did you see the spinning blades? What was that? What kind of school lets teenagers dodge fireballs?!"
"I told you I'd be fine."
"You have a burn mark on your sleeve!"
"I'm alive though."
She pulls back, eyes glassy, face red with panic.
I gently flick her forehead. "Hey. Told you I'd win."
Then Jimin walks in behind us, covered in scratches but grinning like he just came out of a spa.
"Not bad, Jeon. I thought I'd have to save your ass halfway through."
I flip him off behind Y/N's back. He smirks.
Taehyung stumbles in next, still holding his muffin. "Did I win?"
"No, Tae," I say, ruffling his hair. "But you survived. That's something."
As the healers rush in to start checking us over, Y/N still hasn't let go of my hand.
She's always been like this.