Boundless

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓

The warning from Ominis lingered in my mind as I prepped for the first day of classes. Without a reliable supplier, I was in a tight spot; I had to make my current stash last. I skipped breakfast Monday morning, favoring a few extra minutes of sleep over eating. My appetite hadn't been the same lately anyway, and the thoughts of what lay ahead weighed heavily on my stomach.

My first class was potions with Professor Snape, whose complicated relationship with my father cast a long shadow over me. Though I was now an orphan, Snape's sympathy was tempered by his disdain for Sirius, making every interaction with him strained and unpredictable. This year, I was grouped in AP potions with Draco, Blaise, and now, unfortunately, Mattheo. Typically, I would work in a trio, but fate-and Snape-had other ideas.

As I set up at my usual workstation, Snape's voice cut through the murmur of the classroom. "Miss Black, as the top student here, you should be assisting a new student to catch up," he stated, more an order than a suggestion. I bit back a retort, imagining months of detention as a preferable alternative than partnering with Mattheo.

I tried to deflect. "The whole class is full of students, pick one of them and leave me alone," I muttered, eyeing Mattheo who stood smugly by Snape's side, his arms folded and his scar illuminated by the flicker of Draco's cauldron nearby.

"What's your angle, Black? Not as good of student as you think you are?" Mattheo taunted, searching for any vulnerability in my armor.

I tilted my head, suppressing the urge to snap back. "A student is only as good as their partner, so don't mess up," I shot back, meeting his gaze firmly. Snape, perhaps satisfied with the tension he'd orchestrated, silently moved away.

Mattheo slung his bag onto the floor and took the stool next to mine, signalling the start of a long and trying partnership. Draco and Blaise, ever the instigators, smirked from their station, clearly amused by the pairing. I fought the urge to launch them both into their bubbling concoction-if not for my love for them as brothers.

The silence between Mattheo and me was palpable as we began our project. Although I loathed to admit it, I was somewhat grateful that he knew his way around a Potions class. Our task was straightforward enough for the start of the term, but I knew the challenges would only escalate from here.

Curiosity overcame my annoyance momentarily. "How did you even get into AP potions anyway? Weren't you homeschooled?" I asked, not masking my skepticism.

He barely looked up from the potion instructions. "Just naturally gifted," he replied nonchalantly.

I scoffed at his arrogance, vowing internally to keep our interactions strictly professional from that point forward.

As the class drew to a close, Snape assigned us to write a report on our project's progress and potential improvements, insisting we collaborate with our partners. I sighed heavily, slinging my bag over my shoulder. Now I had to endure him outside of class too.

"So, are we meeting in the library later, or what?" Mattheo asked bluntly as we packed up.

"No, I'll do it myself. Just put your name on it tomorrow," I replied curtly, minimizing our interaction.

His frown quickly morphed into a smirk. "Nice, free grade," he commented before leaving the classroom.

Alone, I contemplated my strategy for the year. Perhaps if I handled the assignments solo, away from Snape's scrutinizing gaze, I could navigate this year with minimal interaction with Mattheo. It wasn't ideal, but it was a plan-and right now, any plan was better than none.

I grinned as Sebastian walked into the common room, fresh from Quidditch tryouts. Last year, he was one of the team's stars until an injury made him cautious about flying. Over the summer, his older brothers reignited his passion for Quidditch, and now, Sebastian was eager to fly again.

I stood up from the sofa and walked over to him, my smile growing even wider at the sight of him back in his uniform. "How did it go?" I asked eagerly, wrapping my arms around his shoulders while his hand snaked my waist, the other dropping his bag to the floor as he embraced me.

"Not so good," he whispered. I stepped back, looking at him with concern. "What happened?" I rubbed his arm, trying to comfort him.

"I'm just not as quick as the other guys now. I think my time might be up," Sebastian sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration.

"Draco's the captain, he'll get you in," I reminded him confidently. If Draco didn't, I'd make sure he regretted it. Sebastian smiled at my determination and leaned down to kiss me. "He can only let six people on the team," he replied.

I laughed dismissively. I wasn't a major player, but I knew enough about Quidditch. "So? There's Draco, Blaise, Theo, Enzo, Marcus. There's a spot for you," I reassured him.

"Draco's giving it to Mattheo," he said dismissively. My eyes narrowed; Mattheo was really worming his way into our group. "He tried out? Are you serious?" I asked, my tone heated.

"Yeah, and he's bloody brilliant. None of us stood a chance," Sebastian admitted. "This is ridiculous, let me find Draco," I said angrily, starting to walk past him.

Sebastian caught my arm and pulled me back. "Seb?" I looked at him, desperate to help, feeling I owed him that much after how I abandoned him this summer.

"Sweetheart, I love you, but it's just a sport. I should probably focus on getting my grades up anyway," he said gently.

I couldn't argue with that; Sebastian often struggled academically, and the only reason he hadn't fallen behind was because I helped him with his homework-initially because I had a huge crush on him at the start of last year.

"But it's Quidditch, you love Quidditch," I murmured, feeling somewhat helpless.

He smiled and kissed the back of my hand. "I get more time with you. How can I complain?" With those words, my guilt faded, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit better.