Chapter 23

"Zhang Xinyao?"

Hu Yetao held his breath as Iscar approached Xinyao in the Great Hall at breakfast the next morning. He and Oscar had entered the Hall together, holding hands for everyone to see to confirm the rumors that had been flying around the castle since the incident in DADA the day before. They'd both agreed to be open about their relationship and deal with the repercussions as they came - unpleasant as they may be.

"Oscar," Xinyao replied tersely, hand tightening around the handle of his spoon as he looked up.

Hu Yetao noticed Jing-Long biting his lip next to Zhang Xinyao, watching with worried eyes. He turned back to Xinyao, hoping his friend would be reasonable.

Oscar cleared his throat, his eyes flicking around the hushed Gryffindor table a moment before coming back to rest on Xinyao's face. "I would like to offer my apologies for yesterday; I am still new to having a mate and me… clearly need to work on my Alpha instincts when it comes to Hu Yetao and his safety."

Hu Yetao couldn't help but smile, Oscar was acting so stiff and formal that it made him want to laugh. He was such a different person behind closed doors; when it was just the two of them sitting in their bed, wearing next to nothing and threading fingers through the hair or running warm hands along bare skin, talking and trading stories and making each other laugh…

Hu Yetao felt that same rush of warmth in his chest that made him want to smile and drag his mate back to their room to hide away from the rest of the world again.

"Hu Yetao?"

He blinked and came back to himself, noticing that both Xinyao and Oscar were staring at him expectantly. "Sorry, what?"

Zhang Xinyao rolled his eyes and glanced at Oscar. "I think the daft grin on his face answers my question."

Hu Yetao frowned, suspecting he should be embarrassed - if Oscar's smug smirk and Xinyao's exasperation were anything to go by.

"Alright Oscar," Xinyao said, setting his spoon down next to his half-eaten porridge. "I'm willing to let bygones be bygones as long as you treat Hu Yetao well and don't fucking hex me again." He stuck out his hand.

Oscar's smirk remained firmly in place as he reached out to accept the handshake. "I shall do my best Zhang."

Hu Yetao snorted and shared a look with Jing-Long. He hid a grin in his tea as he turned away to face the table once more, affecting nonchalance as though he - and the rest of the table - hadn't just been listening in to every word. He knew he was more than likely thinking the same thing: that Zhang Xinyao and Oscar would be quarreling again by the end of the week.

"Hungry?" Oscar asked, breaking through his distracted thoughts.

"Uh yeah, famished actually." Hu Yetao was about to step over the bench in front of him and sit down when he suddenly realized that they hadn't discussed which house table to sit with at mealtimes.

"Here is fine," Oscar murmured into his ear with an amused smile.

The entire table eyed them with interest as they took their seats, except for Xinyao and Jing-Long who had returned to their breakfast.

"Slytherin table at tea then?" Hu Yetao suggested as he loaded his plate with food. He was starving after all the excitement of yesterday.

"Agreed," Oscar accepted easily. He reached for the platter of sausages, glaring at one of the second years that was openly staring at him. The student's eyes widened and he quickly turned away with a squeak. Oscar smirked with satisfaction before politely offering some sausages to Hu Yetao.

Hu Yetao just shook his head at his mate and accepted the food. Some things about Oscar Wang would never change and, he helps him, he kind of liked it that way.

"How are you feeling today Hu Yetao?" Jing Long asked, closing the book he had open on the table next to his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Better thanks," Hu Yetao replied as he added marmalade to his buttered toast. He knew the rest of the table would think he was merely referencing the Stinging Hex incident and not him going into heat yesterday. That fact had thankfully remained confidential.

"How are the new rooms?" Zhang Xinyao asked around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "Dorm room isn't the same without you my friend."

"I know, I've been in the same room as you for six years," Hu Yetao replied emphatically, and then glanced at Oscar. "But… change can be good," he added with a furtive grin.

Oscar returned the smile before taking a sip of his tea, appearing quite at home behind enemy lines.

Breakfast was interrupted by the arrival of the morning post; loads of multi-colored envelopes and rolled-up newspapers carried in the talons of dozens of owls soaring through the large Hall.

Hu Yetao, Zhang Xinyao, and Jing-Long continued to eat their breakfast. All three of them had been boycotting The Prophet ever since the war when it began printing absolute rubbish about Hu Yetao daily.

Hu Yetao turned at the sound of Oscar choking on his tea and saw the blond staring at the front page of The Prophet across the table from them. He followed Oscar's gaze and his own eyes widened in shock; staring back at him was a photograph of Hu Yetao and Oscar taken during the Death Eater trials, when Hu Yetao had spoken on behalf of Oscar and his mother. The photo's repeating loop merely showed them glancing at one another with a stand-offish expression that could either be a glare or stubborn indifference, yet the headline screamed: "Hu Yetao a Male Omega and Mated to a Death Eater!

"Well of course you're male, do they need to spell that part out?" Jing Long said with a roll of his eyes.

"That was quick…" Hu Yetao uttered as Oscar leaned across the table and snatched the paper directly out of Fu Sichao's hands.

"Hey! I was reading that Oscar!"

Hu Yetao shot Fu Sichao an apologetic look before leaning over Oscar's shoulder to read.

"What's it say?" Zhang Xinyao demanded impatiently.

"Our Chosen One and brilliant hero, Hu Yetao," Hu Yetao read aloud, tone instantly turning scornful, "is once more making headlines because of his newly established Omega status. The-Boy-Who-Lived reached the age of eighteen this past summer and, it has recently been discovered, come into his inheritance as an Omega. He is the first male Omega in more than one hundred years-"

"What a load of rubbish," Jing-Long interrupted with disgust. "It hasn't been over a hundred years."

"- and is now mated to none other than Oscar Wang, the son of Wang Xiaochen. Wang Xiaochen is currently under house arrest because of his reprehensible actions during the war. How can Hu Yetao enter into a family with such a dark past? A reliable source close to Hu Yetao has said that Hu Yetao and Oscar Wang have never been friends and were even considered rivals at one time. One wonders if our poor orphan is swayed by the deep-seated longing for a family of his own, regardless of what that family may be like or what young Wang's true intentions are-"

Hu Yetao stopped reading and seized the newspaper right out of Oscar's hands before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it onto the floor, a furious expression on his face.

"Hu Yetao," Fu Sichao whinged. "I wanted to read that."

"What drivel isn't worth your time Fu Sichao," Hu Yetao snapped back, his eyes blazing. He withdrew his wand to set the newspaper ablaze on the floor but Oscar quickly pressed a hand to his wand arm, stilling him.

"As much as I love your indignant rage Taotao," he said quietly. "The Headmistress is watching."

Hu Yetao glanced over to see Amber standing up at the head table, looking as though she were about to storm down the aisle towards him. He reluctantly sheathed his wand and turned his back on the discarded newspaper.

Hu Yetao exhaled and ran an agitated hand through his hair, still fuming. It didn't help that he was surrounded by students still reading the offending article all around him. He glanced at his mate. "You okay?" he asked under his breath.

Oscar smirked and took up his tea once more, holding it in one hand, pinkie extended. "Never better Taotao."

Hu Yetao couldn't help but chuckle; wondering how he had become the hot-headed one and Oscar the cool, composed one.

"Just wait 'til the howlers start coming in," Xinyao pointed out, glaring at two third-year girls eagerly poring over the article down the table from him.

"I'll speak to Amber," Oscar calmly interjected. "There's no reason we can't put a stop to any post addressed to Hu Yetao or me for a time."

"Great idea," Jing-Long said with a tentative smile at Oscar. "As Hogwarts students, I'm sure the school will step up to protect you from such malicious defamation."

"Why start now?" Hu Yetao muttered sarcastically, earning a snort from Xinyao. He set down his fork with a sigh. "I think I've lost my appetite."

Jing Long frowned and opened his mouth to scold him but Oscar beat him to it.

"Eat Taotao. You need to replenish yourself after yesterday," he instructed firmly. "Don't let those sad old buggers at the Prophet bother you."

Oscar pointedly picked up his discarded fork and held it out to him. He flashed Hu Yetao a brief smile as Hu Yetao's fingers curled around the utensil before turning back to his meal.

Hu Yetao flushed at the smirk Jing-Long was giving him before turning away to scoop up his cooling eggs.

For the first time, he wasn't completely alone in The Prophet's attacks. It was Oscar who was bearing the brunt of the horrible comments, this time painting Hu Yetao as the victim in it all. As he ate, he wondered if he should write them a letter or - shudder - give a brief interview to clear everything up.

He cupped his tea between his hands and blew on the steaming liquid. It would be nearly impossible to alter people's perception of Oscar if their minds had already been made up. Time would eventually expose the truth, he supposed. Hopefully, the papers would become bored and move on to something else soon.

"We'd better get to class," Zhang Xinyao said, interrupting his thoughts as he withdrew long legs from beneath the table and stood up, shoving one last triangle of toast into his mouth.

"Yeah, alright." Hu Yetao downed the rest of his tepid tea and stood with the rest of the group, trying to ignore the fact that almost every remaining student had their eyes on him.

The four made their way to the doors and out into the entrance hall.

"See you in History of Magic?" he said to Oscar as he slung his bag up onto his shoulder. He and Xinyao had Care of Magical Creatures while Jing Long and Oscar had Ancient Runes first.

"Of course." Oscar flashed him another one of those warm, brief smiles that Hu Yetao was growing to love as they seemed to be for him and him alone. "Don't be late Taotao," he imparted with a soft touch to his hand before walking off towards the staircase.

Hu Yetao pulled Jing-Long aside before she could follow. "Could you maybe… keep an eye on him for me? Make sure no one is harassing him?"

"Yeah, of course, Hu Yetao." Jing Long smiled, eyes softening. "I'll take good care of your mate for you, though I must say, I don't think he needs it; he's taking all of this in stride."

"Yeah, I know," Hu Yetao replied, glancing at Zhang Xinyao. "I keep waiting for the penny to drop but… I'm starting to think it's not going to."

"Nah, it won't," Xinyao stated confidently, causing the other two to look at him in surprise. "Well, he's an Alpha, and Hu Yetao's his mate… Nothing's more important than that, is it?"

Hu Yetao grinned at him and adjusted his bag as he was jostled by some passing students. "Hey Xinyao, weren't you just saying that you needed Jing Long's help for our Potions essay? Perhaps you two should meet up at lunch to… study?"

Zhang Xinyao glared at him while Jing Ling shrugged.

"Sure, we could meet in the library; I have some extra-curricular projects I need to get started on."

"Uh great, see you there!" Zhang Xinyao forced a smile before grabbing Hu Yetao's arm and dragging him off through the main doors of the school and out into the grounds. "What the fuck Hu Yetao?" he hissed as they walked across the vast lawns, the grass still glittery and crunchy beneath their feet from the overnight frost.

Hu Yetao laughed. "Don't you think it's time you told Jing-Long that you want to be with him?" he asked without hesitation. "At least ask him out to Hogsmeade or something - before somebody else does."

Zhang Xinyao pursed his lips and didn't say anything, but Hu Yetao could see the wheels turning in that ginger head of his and nodded with satisfaction. He was tired of their dithering.

The two Gryffindors made it to Zhidao's hut and stopped outside to wait for the rest of the class, giving a wave to Zhidao as he set up some sort of complicated contraption within the small paddock next to his garden. It looked very much like a giant mousetrap and Hu Yetao wondered what on earth it was supposed to catch.

"Hu Yetao?"

Both Hu Yetao and Zhang Xinyao turned to see Zhou Keyu standing behind them.

"Hi," Hu Yetao replied, amused. "What are you doing here? You're not in this class, are you?"

Zhou Keyu smiled and shook his head, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his warm black cloak. "No, I have Ancient Runes. Do you have a minute?"

"Uh sure, I guess," Hu Yetao replied slowly, glancing at Zhang Xinyao who immediately scowled at the Slytherin.

"I'm sure you can speak to both of us Keyu," Xinyao said, a clear warning in his tone.

Zhou Keyu frowned. "It's private."

"It's okay Xinyao," Hu Yetao intervened, not wanting the two Alphas to get out of hand; he'd dealt with that enough lately. "I'll just be over here."

Zhang Xinyao huffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Hu Yetao and Zhou Keyu wander off, away from the gathered group of students.

Once they were far enough away not to be overheard, Keyu turned to Hu Yetao, hands still tucked into his pockets. "I saw the article this morning," he started carefully.

"Yeah?" Hu Yetao replied, trying not to sound instantly defensive.

"I just… I just wanted to say that I don't think Oscar is the right match for you."

Hu Yetao's eyes widened, he hadn't expected that to come out of the Slytherin's mouth. "What?"

Zhou Keyu shifted uncomfortably but held his gaze. "There are… things you don't know about him."

Hu Yetao's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

"Oscar is… hiding something."

"Yeah, what?" Hu Yetao challenged, sensing that Keyu didn't know anything - confirmed with the next words out of his mouth.

"I don't know exactly, but he's always distanced himself from all of us in Slytherin, never really talking about himself in detail. It's like he becomes skittish when the conversation turns towards his home life, and he never invites anyone over to his home for a visit -ever."

Hu Yetao narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps he's just private; he's not the type to display his emotions openly or easily, is he? Or maybe he's embarrassed about his parent's role in the war and would rather not join in discussions that could turn to talk of Chong Li or what his parents are up to now or what they did then..."