Chapter 2: Chapter 1
Hu Yetao stood on the crowded platform, anxiously waiting for his friends to arrive. After feeling sick for about twenty-four hours on his birthday, he had then felt perfectly fine, as though nothing had happened at all. He was beginning to wonder if perhaps Xiào had been mistaken and it had just been about food poisoning or something instead.
He'd been taking his scent masking potions religiously though, just in case.
He glanced at all the students and family members as they walked past, keeping an eye out for any strange reactions to his proximity, but everything was normal on that front as well. Either the potions were doing their job, or Xiào had made a mistake, and he was just a regular everyday Beta.
He truly hoped it was the latter.
"Hu Yetao!"
Hu Yetao looked up to see Jing-Long striding towards him, pushing him overfilled trolley with a bright smile on his suntanned face. He hugged him in greeting as soon as he was within arm's reach.
"How are you?" he asked, pulling back to look into his face. "Wow, you look good."
Hu Yetao froze. "W-what do you mean?" he asked.
He smiled and tipped his head to one side to look him over appraisingly. "You look... well rested; like you've been at a spa for the past two months. You're practically glowing."
Hu Yetao swallowed and forced a weak smile. "I guess time away from my relatives and Chong Li will do that."
Jing Long chuckled and nodded. "I suppose this is the first time in your life that you haven't had to deal with any of that, no wonder you look so healthy."
"How was your summer in Japan?" he asked, wanting to get off the subject of his healthy new glow.
"Oh it was brilliant!" he replied, instantly diverted. "I'm a little rusty with my Japanese but their wizarding history is so fascinating! I think I'm going to go back once we leave Hogwarts, spend some more time soaking up the culture and their unique magical practices."
Hu Yetao nodded, trying to force himself to pay attention to what he was saying but he was distracted by the dense crowd all around them; every glance directed his way took on a suspicious edge with his newfound paranoia. It was almost a relief when Zhang Xinyao finally joined them and they could board the train and settle themselves into a nice quiet compartment.
Hu Yetao exhaled, finally able to relax a little as he settled into his seat next to the window.
"Zhang Xinyao, could you please put my trunk up on the rack?" Jing Long asked as he rolled the heavy thing into their compartment. It was obviously stuffed full of heavy - and utterly unnecessary - books.
"Sure." Zhang Xinyao smiled and took the trunk before hefting it up into the overhead bin with ease.
"Having an Alpha around sure has its advantages," Jing-Long stated teasingly as he collapsed onto the seat next to Hu Yetao.
Hu Yetao felt his heart stop as his gaze flew to Zhang Xinyao. He'd completely forgotten that his best friend had come into his Alpha inheritance last March. He quickly tried to determine whether Zhang Xinyao had treated him any differently so far...
Zhang Xinyao took the seat opposite Hu Yetao and looked at his friend. "How was your birthday?" he asked with a grin.
Hu Yetao felt a flash of panic, wondering if the other knew something.
"Oh that's right," Jing-Long said before he could form a response, "you're eighteen now too. I guess you're a Beta," he added, slipping an arm through his with a smile. "I hope I'm a Beta too, much less nerve-wracking than being an Omega."
"I thought for sure you'd be an Alpha," Zhang Xinyao said offhandedly.
Hu Yetao frowned, affronted. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Zhang Xinyao looked up and noticed his expression. He immediately flushed red. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just thought... if anyone was going to be an Alpha, you would."
"Being a Beta does not automatically mean you're weak or soft," Jing-Long said reproachfully. "Shen Baoping was a Beta after all."
"I know," Zhang Xinyao mumbled self-consciously.
The compartment door slid open then, interrupting them - and saving Zhang Xinyao from shoving his foot even further into his mouth.
Fu Sichao and Zhang Teng walked in, followed by Xue Bayi only a few seconds later. They made themselves comfortable on the seats, oblivious to the somewhat tense atmosphere.
"How was everyone's summer?" Fu Sichao asked as he tossed his school robe onto the seat beside him.
"Looks like you had a good one," Xue Bayi said with a wink, indicating Fu Sichao's taller, more muscular stature.
Fu Sichao blushed and ducked his head. "Yeah... Ning Jing was pleased, she thought I'd be a Beta for sure."
Xue Bayi raised a brow at the silent, averted gazes from Hu Yetao, Zhang Xinyao, and Jing-Long. "What's up with you three?"
"Nothing," Hu Yetao said quickly. "How was your summer Zhang Teng?" he asked suddenly, turning to the smiling Ravenclaw seated next to the door.
Hu Yetao's gaze slid past Zhang Teng as he replied, through the open doorway and over to the compartment opposite them. It was filling up with what appeared to be more returning eighth-year students. Hu Yetao was surprised to note that it was a mix of houses, including a few Slytherins.
Hu Yetao's roving gaze suddenly locked with the dark brown eyes of Oscar Wang who was seated near the window. His breath caught in his throat and his heart faltered in his chest. His whole world seemed to suddenly zero in on the blond across the corridor from him and he couldn't break his eyes away.
A small furrow appeared between Oscar's brows as he held Hu Yetao's gaze a moment before turning away to look out the window.
Hu Yetao inhaled sharply as his breath seemed to return to him in a sudden whoosh as he was released from the stranglehold that had suddenly gripped him.
"Are you alright?" Jing Long asked with concern.
Hu Yetao blinked and looked around, noticing that everyone was staring at him. "Yeah, I'm fine... Just... er, choked."
"Choked?" Zhang Xinyao repeated in confusion. "On what?"
"Erm, Ice Mice," Hu Yetao improvised, trying to keep his eyes from wandering back to Oscar. The urge was ridiculously strong.
"Can I have one?" Zhang Xinyao asked.
"That was my last one," Hu Yetao replied awkwardly as the train suddenly started moving, pushing him back into his seat.
The group fell silent as the screech and grind of the train starting the station made it too difficult to be heard.
Hu Yetao looked out the window, already feeling the strain of what he suspected was going to be a very tense year ahead.
And what had that moment with Oscar been about?
A feeling of panic began to fill his gut as his mind helpfully supplied him with the realization that Oscar looked as though he'd had a growth spurt over the summer holidays. In other words, the Slytherin had come into his inheritance - and it had resulted in his nemesis becoming an Alpha.
Hu Yetao swallowed and shifted in his seat, keeping his gaze firmly on the changing landscape outside.
Oscar had looked... good. Very good. The blond appeared to have grown at least three inches, his hair was soft and shining instead of slicked back, his pale skin looked even more flawless than usual, and Hu Yetao had never noticed what striking eyes Oscar had before; they were such a lovely shade of brown which seemed to darken to a deeper, steely brown around his irises.
Hu Yetao shook his head. He needed to stop thinking about the color of Oscar's eyes.
Hu Yetao tried to think of something else but he felt his heartbeat quicken and his palms begin to sweat as his thoughts quickly began to spiral out of control. What if the Omega in him was drawn to the Alpha in Oscar Wang? What if something in him was compelled to pursue Oscar as a potential life partner? What if a part of him wanted to mate with Oscar?!
Hu Yetao let slip an involuntary sound of horror which he quickly turned into a cough.
"Are you sick Hu Yetao?" Zhang Teng asked in concern.
Hu Yetao shot him a weak smile. "No, I'm fine, just... something caught in my throat. Again. I'll er... get some pumpkin juice or something."
Hu Yetao stood and quickly walked out into the corridor of the train, holding onto the walls for support as the train bumpily chugged onwards over the uneven tracks. He very intentionally kept his gaze on the floor as he moved past Oscar's compartment and caught up with the food trolley witch at the other end, who was just beginning to make her rounds.
"Hi," Hu Yetao greeted her distractedly. "One pumpkin juice, a roast beef sandwich, and a chocolate flavor please."
He feebly hoped the chocolate would settle his nerves a little.
He paid for his things then walked back towards his compartment, trying to breathe normally and not think about the terrifying notion of potential mates.
He was nearly sent sprawling onto the floor of the corridor when Zhou Keyu walked out of Oscar's compartment and straight into him.
"Steady there Yetao," he said with a smirk, placing one hand on his arm and holding him upright.
"Thanks," Hu Yetao replied uncertainly, pulling his arm back and reaching down to pick up his dropped sandwich.
"Say, Yetao," Zhou Keyu continued, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall of the corridor. How the man could look so steady and suave while the train bumped and rattled beneath their feet, Hu Yetao had no idea. "I was hoping to speak to you about something."
"Oh?" Hu Yetao replied warily as he straightened up and hugged his food to his chest.
"As there are so few of us returning for the eighth year, we thought it might be prudent to let bygones be bygones."
Hu Yetao's brow raised in surprise. That wasn't what he'd been expecting. "Yeah?"
Zhou Keyu nodded, his expression earnest and as open as Hu Yetao had ever seen the dark-haired wizard. "There's no point in house rivalries now, is there? I mean, the younger years will carry it on and all, but we were thinking that it might be practical to form a study group between us leftovers."
"Leftovers?" Hu Yetao repeated, unable to hide a smile of amusement.
Zhou Keyu grinned. "I thought I would approach you since everyone tends to follow your lead," he continued matter-of-factly. "I've spoken to the returning Slytherins and we're all in agreement on this."
Hu Yetao was surprised at first but then realized that any returning Slytherin students were most likely the ones that had made good choices during the war, or at least had stayed out of things, which Hu Yetao couldn't fault them for.
"Yeah..." Hu Yetao finally replied slowly. "I think that's a brilliant idea."
Zhou Keyu smiled and held out his hand. Hu Yetao shifted his snacks to the other arm as he reached out and shook Zhou Keyu's hand. He was happy to let go of the hostility of the past, especially between Gryffindor and Slytherin. It was too much effort to keep up such hatred, and what for? Chong Li was dead and everyone just wanted to move on with their lives - no one more so than Hu Yetao himself.
"Come on." Zhou Keyu tugged on Hu Yetao's hand once before releasing it and leading him over to stand in the open doorway of his compartment. "Everyone, Hu Yetao has graciously agreed to our study group idea," he announced grandly.
Hu Yetao was met with smiles of delight - except Oscar, who was frowning at him. Hu Yetao swallowed and determinedly ignored the blond - and the fluttering in his stomach - as he attempted a carefree smile in return.
"Hi, Hu Yetao."
Hu Yetao turned to see Caelan smiling at him from the seat to his right. "Oh hi Caelan, how are you?"
"I'm fine," he answered quietly. "You look well; you must've had a nice summer."
Hu Yetao instantly felt on edge again. "I did," he replied shortly.
"Well, you've earned it," he said sincerely, still smiling.
"So we were thinking Thursday nights," Zhou Keyu interrupted. "Right Oscar?"
Before he could stop himself, Hu Yetao's eyes flicked up to see dark brown eyes watching him intently. Oscar shrugged carelessly then turned to look out the window.
Zhou Keyu rolled his eyes then turned to Hu Yetao. "Please forgive Oscar, he's decided brooding is the look he's going for this year."
Hu Yetao couldn't help but snort in response and Zhou Keyu smirked.
"I guess I'll see you Thursday night in the library then?" Hu Yetao said, preparing to leave.
Keyu nodded in confirmation and Hu Yetao waved at them all before walking back across the narrow corridor.
Everyone in his compartment was staring at him in shock when he entered.
Zhang Xinyao quickly stood and slid the doors shut before turning to Hu Yetao, who had once again settled into his seat by the window. "What the bloody hell was that all about?" he demanded.
Hu Yetao shrugged as he let his food tumble into his lap and then opened his bottle of pumpkin juice. "A truce," he replied nonchalantly.
"Really?" Fu Sichao said in surprise. "The Slytherins too?"
"It was their idea," Hu Yetao informed them. "Zhou Keyu said that all the students wanted to let go of the past and just forget about silly house rivalries. We're even starting an eight-year study group: Thursday nights in the library."
"And you agreed?" Zhang Xinyao asked incredulously.
Hu Yetao frowned. "Of course, why not? I want to put an end to all that pointless bitterness too. There aren't that many of us anymore so I think it's a brilliant idea."
"Me too," Jing-Long readily agreed and Zhang Teng nodded along with him. "Why not help each other?"
Zhang Xinyao returned to his seat and shook his head. "I dunno... But it seems suspicious to me."
"Oh get over it Zhang Xinyao," Jing-Long said with a roll of his eyes. "Why would they try anything now? What would be the point? It's over."
"Yeah, I agree," Fu Sichao put in quietly. "We could help each other out, and I need all the help I can get in Potions."
"I guess..." Zhang Xinyao said uncertainly, glancing at Hu Yetao again.
"Doesn't mean we'll go easy on them in quidditch though," Hu Yetao added, appeasing.
Zhang Xinyao visibly brightened. "Yeah... there is that," he said enthusiastically.
The others laughed and Hu Yetao threw his balled-up sandwich wrapper at him.
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