The warmth of the Potions classroom was a stark contrast to the drafty corridors of Hogwarts, filled with the simmering sounds of bubbling cauldrons and the occasional puff of steam as potions reached their critical stages. Professor Slughorn presided over the class with his usual ebullient demeanor, ambling between the desks and offering advice laden with anecdotes of famous former students.
Sara, still reeling from the revelations of the early morning and her subsequent lack of sleep, slumped beside her potions partner, Mattheo. Her eyes were heavy, her mind foggy with fatigue. Despite the interesting and complex potion they were supposed to be brewing—a Draught of Peace, known for its calming blue vapors and delicate balance of ingredients—Sara found it hard to muster enthusiasm.
Mattheo, on the other hand, seemed in his element, his usual cocky self even more pronounced today, perhaps bolstered by the morning's invitation to have Sara join him for Christmas. He scooped valerian roots into their cauldron with a flourish, his movements precise yet somehow grandiose.
"Watch and learn, Sara," Mattheo teased, catching her yawning mid-measurement. "I could brew this with my eyes closed. Maybe I should take over before you accidentally turn this into a Draught of Despair."
Sara rolled her eyes, too tired to come up with a witty retort. "Just keep stirring, Mattheo. And make sure it's clockwise, not whatever random direction you think is right today."
As they worked, their potion began to take on the characteristic silvery-blue shimmer, its surface smooth and the vapors rising in gentle, soothing swirls. Despite her lack of sleep and her scattered attention, Sara couldn't help but notice that their potion was turning out better than anyone else's in the class, a fact that didn't escape Mattheo's notice.
"See? What did I tell you? We're a great team," he said, a smug smile playing across his lips as he gave the potion another expert stir. "You must be my good luck charm."
Sara stifled a sigh. If only you knew, she thought. The idea that their success could be due to their soulmate bond lingered at the back of her mind, a theory she wasn't ready to accept just yet. She chalked it up to coincidence, or perhaps the fact that Mattheo, for all his bravado, did have a decent knack for potion-making.
"You're insufferable," she muttered, though her lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "But I suppose you're not the worst partner I could have ended up with."
Mattheo raised his eyebrows, feigning shock. "Not the worst? From you, that's practically a declaration of undying affection."
Sara laughed despite herself, the sound mingling with the clinks and clatters of the classroom. "Don't push your luck," she warned, though the warmth in her voice belied her words.
Mattheo grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, you're only saying that because you love me," he teased, pretending not to notice the slightly softer tone in her voice.
"Like hell I do," she retorted, though she couldn't bring herself to really get upset at him. He simply had a way of pushing her buttons, she supposed. "You're an absolute ass. You know that, right?"
"But a hot ass, right?"
"Why must you always search for validation?" Sara chuckled.
"Because I'm incredibly vain," Mattheo replied matter-of-factly, stirring the cauldron with a smug grin on his face.
Sara laughed. As much as she hated to admit it, the boy was funny. Why was this all so hard. She did not want to be goddamn soulmates with this kid. He was terrible at commitment, had not a single romantic bone in his body, and honestly, was sometimes a real dick. She refused to believe it. She had to stop thinking about it.
"That you are, my friend. That you are," she responded.
"You have any plans after class? I have something I want to run by you."
"I might be free, depends on what you're 'running by me'," Sara chuckled.
"Might be free? Damn," he replied, feigning hurt. "Here I thought your schedule would clear the minute I asked."
"In your dreams, Riddle," Sara retorted.
Mattheo hummed, feigning indifference, though his lips quirked up in a small smile at her rebuttal. "Fine, I see how it is," he said teasingly, though he had to admit, there was something comforting about their bickering.
As class wrapped up, with Slughorn commending them on their exemplary potion, Sara packed up her things, her thoughts a whirlwind of denial and realization. The day's potion success was another piece of evidence she wasn't sure what to do with, a puzzle she wasn't ready to solve. For now, she focused on the immediate tasks ahead, pushing the nagging thoughts of soulmates and magical bonds to the back of her mind. Yet, as they left the classroom together, the lingering effects of their combined magic were hard to ignore, like a melody she couldn't quite shake.
