Title: Too Short A Time
Category: Cartoons » Hero: 108
Author: Cahaya Sidur
Language: English, Rating: T
Genre: Romance, Tragedy
Published: 07-22-18
Words: 2,447
Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108 or Harry Potter.
AN: Because I am obsessed with AUs of favourite fandoms of mine with Harry Potter Goblet of Fire, I'm posting this one here...I've actually had another Hero: 108 crossover idea with Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, but who knows?
The first time Mano knew that he loved Lin Chung was when they got to Hogwarts.
There has always been the small dances around each other as they circled one another, sending tentative smiles that slowly grew bolder and words traced on each other's hand. It's long but lovely, and Mano relishes every moment as Lin Chung develops a smile that's just for him and him alone, and Mano realises the same thing has happened.
It's worth all the teasing and good-natured elbowing from other people in his dorm.
When they arrive in Hogwarts, they find themselves with much more time to themselves. Everyone spends their time exploring everywhere, and while the rule is set in place that the Forbidden Forest was, well, forbidden, Mano can see that Lin Chung wants to go in and explore. Maybe draw the creatures found there that isn't found in China.
So Mano sneaks into his room that night with glowing eyes. Lin Chung blinks blearily as he realises Mano is in his room and tilts his head in silent question.
Mano smiles and nods in the direction of the dimly moonlit forest, and Lin Chung's smile widens.
They spend all night in the forest, and with the exception of being chased by centaurs until they realised Lin Chung merely wanted to draw them and talk to them, Mano can't remember a night when he had enjoyed himself this much.
When they finally sneak back into the rooms, Lin Chung kisses Mano. Just at the corner of the his mouth. Lin Chung gives him a shy smile as he clambers back into his room.
The kiss stays with Mano until the next morning.
The second time they kiss is when Lin Chung gets selected to be in the Wizard Competition.
Mano notes the other competitors as they slowly make their way up. Viktor Krum is an expected champion - big and burly like all men would be expected to be. Fleur Delacour was pretty, with an ethereal look around her - part Veela maybe?
But Mano watches with tense shoulders as Lin Chung's name is called and he strides confidently to the small room he is directed to. The grey-haired teenager sends one last look to his friends - his gaze landing on Mano and making the other boy's cheeks red - and disappears through the door.
When two competitors are named for Hogwarts, Mano's heart rate spikes.
There is clearly something going on here, and he wants Lin Chung as far away from it as possible.
That night, Mano creeps into Lin Chung's room again. Almost as if expecting it, the boy is waiting for him with bright eyes.
"Mano." He greets quietly.
Mano frowns and gestures to the Yule Ball invitation. He shakes his head.
Lin Chung sighs but sits up and pats his bed in invitation. Mano sits down and hesitantly leans against Lin Chung's shoulder. The man doesn't move, and Mano relaxes.
"There was a contract when our names were put in, Mano." He whispers against the other man's head. "Better me than anyone else. You know I'm best for this."
Mano shrugs, in a clear but I don't have to like it gesture.
Lin Chung huffs quietly but nods. He pulls Mano back, so they are leaning against the wall.
Lin Chung turns to Mano, gently pressing a kiss to his cheek. Mano looks up and smiles, then presses his lips against the other's.
The third time they kiss is at the Yule Ball. As expected, Lin Chung goes with Lady Green. Mano doesn't really mind - he goes alone, sticking close to the "Air Force" group, smiling and nodding as he keeps an eye on Lin.
Lin Chung meets his eyes many times, and it is clear from Lady Green's amused expression that she's also realised this. She laughs and twirls, and acts like the perfect date. Lin Chung smiles and takes the congratulations from many with kind eyes that crinkle at the corners.
Mano stares at him, a small smile twitching at his lips as the evening progresses. Rosefinch playfully nudges him, but her eye similarly remains on Kowloon.
Nearing the end of the ball, Mano and Lin Chung try to sneak away. They make it as far as the stairs, before the sight of Hermione crying on the stairs make the couple stop.
Lin Chung, bless his kind heart, walks over and kneels by her. "Hermione?"
Hermione jumps and hastily wipes at her eyes. "Lin Chung! You're leaving already?"
Lin Chung nods and reaches out a gentle hand to her shoulder. "What is wrong?"
"Nothing," Hermione denies too hastily. Lin Chung arches an eyebrow, and Mano has to give the man credit: he's perfected the disappointed look. It doesn't take much for Hermione to crack.
"Ron…isn't happy."
Mano has no idea who the hell Ron is, but Lin Chung evidently does. His eyes soften and he squeezes her shoulder. "It's his loss that he didn't ask you out sooner." He smiles. "Viktor is a wonderful man. If anything, he would be a great friend."
Hermione lets out a watery smile and she slowly nods her head.
Mano is itching to get away, but he can't in good conscience leave Hermione sitting there on the stairs.
Evidently, Lin Chung feels the same. He stands up and helps Hermione up. "We can escort you back to your room?"
"Oh, there's really no need for that-"
"I insist." Lin Chung says, and that's that.
They walk with Hermione in silence to the dorms. The silence is thoughtful, with Hermione looking down as she seems to mull over Lin Chung's words. When they reach the door, Hermione turns and stops hesitantly. She looks at Lin Chung for a long time, then asks in a quiet sort of voice, "may I hug you?"
Lin Chung's eyes turn downwards in sadness - an expression that Mano wants to take away - but his voice is clear as he nods and wraps his arms tightly around the girl who seems so perfect yet has so little friends to reliably rely on.
Hermione breathes out as she pulls away. She nods at them both, then disappears into the room.
Spindly fingers twine with Mano's.
"Let's go."
Mano wakes up to the sun streaming in through the curtains. Lin Chung is still sleeping peacefully next to him, gentle puffs of breath against his bare shoulder.
Smiling sleepily, Mano gently turns to press closer to Lin Chung before sliding back into the welcome embrace of sleep. Lin Chung lets out a quiet hum at the movement, but turns to Mano anyways.
At the side, kept almost deliberately out of view, is the golden egg, gleaming in the gentle sunlight.
The next challenge takes a long time to solve. Harry ponders the golden egg as he wanders the empty hallways of Hogwarts. He needs help, but Hermione and Ron haven't come up with anything useful. If anything, their arguing has become a bit of a distraction.
Just as he turns the corner, he notices an empty classroom, it's door just barely open.
He walks to it, curious when he thinks he sees movement beyond the door. Not too sure what's going on, he pulls out his wand and carefully pushes the door open.
A sight he hadn't expected greets him. Mano and Lin Chung pull away from each other and turn to look at him with wide-eyes.
Harry swallows as he realises the incredibly intimate position that they are in - arms around each other, barely an inch of space between them. "Uh, I was just…I'll just…" He points at the door and stumbles out.
Footsteps behind him causes him to turn, meeting Lin Chung's expression - desperately trying to be casual.
"Harry, about what you saw-"
"I did-I didn't see anything." Harry stutters out. He's got nothing against them, really. Lin Chung's been a lovely person to talk to, and a calming presence before the challenge with the dragon.
"It's just," Lin Chung says quietly, "we're not too sure where we're taking this. Or of people knowing. We don't want people…to warp this." It is said carefully, and Harry at least has the sense of mind to appreciate the effort Lin Chung is putting into describing this for him.
Harry nods. "I…no one's going to find out from me."
Lin Chung's smile is small but absolutely genuine. "Thank you."
The next challenge comes and goes. To Harry's surprise, Lady Green is selected as Lin Chung's treasured person. He would have expected it to be Mano, but considering how secretive the two seem, it would stand to reason that even the Headmasters aren't aware of it.
Nevertheless, Lady Green does seem to hold some sort of special place in Lin Chung's heart, and the relief in his expression as he makes sure she is okay is heartbreaking.
"How are you doing, Harry?" Lin Chung asks, crouching by the boy. "That was quite a fight."
Harry nods, looking at the scratch on Lin Chung's arm.
Lin Chung notices his glance and chuckles. "Don't worry about me. Just another battle wound to boast about."
Another battle wound?
Not for the first time, Harry wonders just what the Chinese students went through that they shake off such a physical and mental ordeal like nothing. Even now, he can see Lady Green drying her hair off and chatting happily with Fleur's younger sister. For the first time, he notices a scar stretching from her neck, and he shivers.
Lin Chung drapes another towel over the young wizard's shoulders, and Harry can only nod in thanks.
The last challenge comes with heartbreak and disaster.
The three champions - two from Hogwarts and one from Imperial - are sucked into a graveyard.
As if that wasn't terrifying enough, the rise of the Dark Lord causes Harry's blood to turn to ice while his scar burns red hot. Cedric and Lin Chung already have their wands out. Cedric, nervous but loyal, and Lin Chung, experienced and weary. One of the Death Eaters fire off an experimental spell that Lin Chung blocks with ease.
The Dark Lord's beady eyes focus on Harry, and he forgets how to breathe.
One, two, three spells flash from the Dark Lord's wand.
A strong wave of Lin Chung's wand leaves these spells flying into the Death Eaters.
Voldemort's eyes narrow as his supporters advance. Cedric fires off a few more spells while Lin Chung casts a shield around them, his eyes scanning the graveyard for something.
The portkey, Harry realises, and catches sight of it just beyond where the Dark Lord is advancing.
"There!" Harry shouts, and Lin Chung immediately understands.
He glances back at Harry once. "Tell Mano I'm sorry." There is a tone of resignation that has Harry sitting up in alarm, wondering just why this was happening.
Amid the yells of protest from the Hogwarts' champions, Lin Chung ducks out of the safety of his shield, firing off five spells in succession at the Dark Lord - more showy than effective.
They successfully distract Voldemort enough that Lin Chung accios the trophy successfully, and then slides back into the shield.
However, a spell is fired from the Dark Lord that completely shatters the shield, leaving Lin Chung cursing as the trio are separated.
"Harry!" Cedric's shout of alarm has the young boy turning and firing off an expelliarmus.
"Move!" Lin Chung orders, and Cedric immediately starts crawling towards them. Harry only notices the reason too late; Cedric's right leg is barely wounded, bleeding sluggishly onto the ground. Harry feels the trickle of blood from his forehead, and belatedly realises that he's also bleeding.
"Harry!" Lin Chung warns.
Harry turns and raises his wand against Voldemort. The man sneers at him, then fires off several more spells. Harry blocks the first few, but a lucky shot stuns him, causing him to drop his wand.
As he scrabbles to get it despite his stunned state, Voldemort advances once more. He is stopped by a particularly explosive spell that sends him and his followers scattering a few feet away.
Lin Chung, supporting Cedric, sprints to Harry. The trophy is held out, and Harry stretches his arm out - it's so close, and then-
"Avada Kedava!"
The light from Lin Chung's eyes fade as he drops, leaving Cedric scrambling up as he reaches for his wand.
The petrification spell weakens enough that Harry can crawl towards them, his wand also out.
Meeting each other's eyes, they come to a split second decision. As Voldemort prepares himself for another spell, Cedric uses his right hand to grasp Harry's shoulder, his left to grab onto Lin Chung's body. Harry accios the trophy, and they vanish.
Voldemort's howl echoes around as his killing spell hits empty ground.
Harry finally finds Mano two days after Lin Chung's funeral pyre is held. The man's eyes are sad, lines of pain and wariness etched into his face. Harry thinks back to the happiness they shared, that he himself only had an inkling of, and he thinks that Lin Chung would be devastated indeed if he knew Mano was like this.
"He loved you." Harry says.
Mano doesn't twitch, only inclines his head slightly.
"He told me to tell you he was sorry." Harry says again. He looks down at his feet, wondering if Lin Chung had known that one of them wouldn't have made it. If Lin Chung had known he wouldn't have made it.
What was it like, to have that sort of knowledge?
Until the day came for him, Harry can only guess; even then, it's not a pleasant concept.
He leaves with a heavy heart.
Imperial Court's departure is met with little fanfare. There is a solemn silence as they take off, disappearing into the air with nary a sound.
Mano looks down at the precious precious ceramic jar that he's been chosen to hold, that holds the ashes of his love that they will scatter across their motherland once they get home. Rosefinch leans into him, her expression also sorrowful. There's been some sort of unspoken rule about him and Lin Chung's relationship - that no one is to mention it.
He doesn't know what he prefers.
Mano remembers back before, when he and Lin Chung were happy and new and fleeting but strong and trusting, and he remember when he had told Lin Chung by the light of the moon that he didn't like this. He wonders what would happen if Lin Chung had listened.
Now though, he clutches the cold ceramic jar, closes his eyes, and tries to remember the feel of Lin Chung's lips on his.