No Choice But You // Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Chapter 3

Classes the next day helped me take my mind off things. 

We had an easy day in care of magical beasts, tending to flobberworms. In defense against the dark arts, we just went over the syllabus and got an essay from Professor Hecat, which a lot of students groaned at, but I was happy about the distraction. It gave me a reason to hide away in the library so that I didn't have to see Sebastian or hear his sister talk about him. 

I did run into Ominis though, in between classes. I literally ran into him, which made things a bit awkward. 

"Sorry, I didn't notice you there," he said. He whipped out his wand and scanned the area. He'd been holding onto Anne's shoulder as we left care of magic beasts. She gave me a look I couldn't decipher before leaving Ominis and me by ourselves. Once he had his wand out, I think he realized it was me because his glossy eyes darkened and his body stiffened. 

"It's alright," I brushed it off. I tried to walk away, but he grabbed my shoulder. My body tensed in return. 

"I just want to say one thing," he said, his voice low. It was lover than I'd remembered it--perhaps our time apart had done more than just affect my psyche. He was taller than I'd noticed before, and the lines of his face had grown more defined. he was more beautiful than I'd liked to admit, too. "I want you to stay away from Sebastian. He's been asking about you, but I don't want you to befriend him again. Do you understand?"

"I had no intentions of doing so," I stated. His grip on my shoulder loosened, and I shook away the interaction and walked away. Ominis stayed planted in the same spot as I made my leave, flexing the hand he'd touched me with as I looked back at him. 

* * * 

Astronomy class later that evening was a bit tougher for me to get through. Not only did I have Anne and Ominis in that class, but there was Sebastian, Amit, and even Garreth, of which the latter two tried to chat me up as we gazed at the stars. 

"You should be my potions partner tomorrow," Garreth told me, nudging me with his elbow, nearly dropping his hand-me-down telescope in the process. "I still remember your help back when we first met, I feel like we could be capable of so much more should we team up."

"We'll see," I said, trying to brush him off. I lifted my telescope to my eye, trying to focus on the constellation that Professor Shah had instructed us to find. Garreth nudged me again. 

"I could use your skills, you know. No one else has what it takes to aid the famous Garreth Weasley in his potion endeavors."

Famous Garreth Weasley, I mused to myself. Famous for all the wrong reasons, of course, but that didn't make it any less amusing. 

"I might take you up on that," I said, "but that's only on the premises that you actually follow the instruction. I can't risk failing potions this year."

"I wouldn't fail," he said. "I'm good at what I do. Professor Sharp just refuses to recognize my talents."

"Of course," I said sarcastically. Only he didn't catch the sarcasm. He never did, when people talked about his skills as a potioneer. 

Garreth finally left me alone. After that, I really only had to deal with Amit's idle chatter about the stars, which wasn't too bad. 

My eyes kept straying from the assignment over to the trio at the other end of the astronomy tower. Ominis, I didn't know why was in astronomy. Literally the whole class had to do with looking through a telescope, which he couldn't do. I guess there were other assignments he was capable of--anything with reading or essay writing, but Professor Shah was really big on field experience rather than theory. I guess it would be an easy grade for him, though. 

He leaned against the railing as Sebastian and Anne took turns with the telescope. Ominis' lean figure perched against the wooden railing beautifully and effortlessly. The sheer light of the half-moon dusted his face, perfectly accentuating his cheekbones and jawline, and even his lips. 

I turned away, ignoring the fact that just looking at him caused my face to redden. Of course, he was objectively handsome--but there was nothing to note beyond that. Yeah, we'd been friends, but there was nothing between us now, and there never would be. 

With what he'd said earlier, it was obvious he wanted me to stay away, regardless of the fact that he and Anne had differing opinions. 

Anne still baffled me, seeing her here at Hogwarts. That was something I never thought I'd see, but here she was, attending classes like she'd been here all along. 

Ominis hadn't gone to The Undercroft at all last year. I knew that because I spent an egregious amount of time there last year, using it as a means to be alone. But this year, I knew would be different. Sebastian had told me of how much time they spent down there, and I knew with Anne's arrival and Sebastian's presence here again, it wouldn't be a place that I was welcome.