Chapter 4 Pil-Seung
Nobody said anything as the wizards continued to fly. Harry wanted to talk to Ron and Hermione but he was afraid Chang, who had just single handedly sent several men to their deaths.
Hermione looked the most frightened as she kept her eyes covered with her hands. Harry realized this was the first time he had ever seen Hermione fly, under any circumstances.
Harry could see the countryside below the clouds. He couldn't tell how much time had passed when the wizards landed at the last at a forest.
Chang released the children. The three were so shocked from the day's experience that they found it hard to stand straight.
"Take them to Colonel Kim," said the captain, eyeing the three suspiciously, "He'll decide what to do with them..."
Chang nodded and gestured to the children to follow him. He climbed into a particularly large tree which had a dark hole in the middle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were shaking a little bit, but they realized they had no choice but to follow.
Harry expected a tight fit, but the hole turned out to be an entrance to a secret base. The inside looked like a castle, only without decorations or windows. Chang silently led the children down along spiral steps. Several wizards, all of non-European origin, passed them and gave curious glances.
Corridors appeared and Chang took them to the door at the end of the corridor. The door was marked 'WSF CO.' Chang knocked.
"Come," said an old voice from inside. Chang opened the door and motioned for the children to enter first. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered obediently. Chang came in last and shut the door behind them.
The room was a shabby office with just a desk and some chairs. Harry noticed muggle maps with notes and diagrams scribbled on them on the walls, and a small cupboard.
An Asian man at his fifties was sitting at the desk. He was not as impressive as Chang, as he looked more like a pleasant desk clerk than a soldier. He had thick round rimmed glasses and a narrow mustache over a smile on a slightly wrinkled face. When he stood up to greet them, Harry could see that the men was a head shorter than Chang, but Chang was a very tall man to begin with.
"I am Colonel Pil-Seung Kim of the Wildcard Strike Force."
"Pil-Sung?" asked Ron.
"Pil-Seung," corrected Kim, maintaining his smile.
"Pil-Seng?" tried Hermione, who seemed relieved to find that the 'colonel' was much more pleasant than she had expected.
"Pil-Seung," said Kim again, without the faintest sign of annoyance. "It's alright. You aren't the only native English speakers who have trouble pronouncing my native Korean first name. My friends call me Kennedy."
Ron was surprised indeed. "You are Kennedy Kim?" he blurted out, pointing. Hermione intercepted his hand with her own, not turning her face away from Kim.
"Well, I am glad that at least one of you ar
Nobody said anything as the wizards continued to fly. Harry wanted to talk to Ron and Hermione but he was afraid Chang, who had just single handedly sent several men to their deaths.
Hermione looked the most frightened as she kept her eyes covered with her hands. Harry realized this was the first time he had ever seen Hermione fly, under any circumstances.
Harry could see the countryside below the clouds. He couldn't tell how much time had passed when the wizards landed at the last at a forest.
Chang released the children. The three were so shocked from the day's experience that they found it hard to stand straight.
"Take them to Colonel Kim," said the captain, eyeing the three suspiciously, "He'll decide what to do with them..."
Chang nodded and gestured to the children to follow him. He climbed into a particularly large tree which had a dark hole in the middle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were shaking a little bit, but they realized they had no choice but to follow.
Harry expected a tight fit, but the hole turned out to be an entrance to a secret base. The inside looked like a castle, only without decorations or windows. Chang silently led the children down along spiral steps. Several wizards, all of non-European origin, passed them and gave curious glances.
Corridors appeared and Chang took them to the door at the end of the corridor. The door was marked 'WSF CO.' Chang knocked.
"Come," said an old voice from inside. Chang opened the door and motioned for the children to enter first. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered obediently. Chang came in last and shut the door behind them.
The room was a shabby office with just a desk and some chairs. Harry noticed muggle maps with notes and diagrams scribbled on them on the walls, and a small cupboard.
An Asian man at his fifties was sitting at the desk. He was not as impressive as Chang, as he looked more like a pleasant desk clerk than a soldier. He had thick round rimmed glasses and a narrow mustache over a smile on a slightly wrinkled face. When he stood up to greet them, Harry could see that the men was a head shorter than Chang, but Chang was a very tall man to begin with.
"I am Colonel Pil-Seung Kim of the Wildcard Strike Force."
"Pil-Sung?" asked Ron.
"Pil-Seung," corrected Kim, maintaining his smile.
"Pil-Seng?" tried Hermione, who seemed relieved to find that the 'colonel' was much more pleasant than she had expected.
"Pil-Seung," said Kim again, without the faintest sign of annoyance. "It's alright. You aren't the only native English speakers who have trouble pronouncing my native Korean first name. My friends call me Kennedy."
Ron was surprised indeed. "You are Kennedy Kim?" he blurted out, pointing. Hermione intercepted his hand with her own, not turning her face away from Kim.
"Well, I am glad that at least one of you ar