Chapter 2

2

I regretted not stopping for a strong cup of tea in the dining hall this morning. Not only had I missed breakfast, which was incredibly important for the brain's function, but I'd missed the one thing that could help me wake up.

Last night, I had stayed up far later than my usual routine accounted for. Instead of focusing on my assignments first, I read up on the known history of love potions with the texts I already owned. After exhausting all my options, I finally focused on my schoolwork. I didn't turn in for bed until I completed everything necessary.

I hated that I felt incredibly groggy as I walked to my first Tuesday class, Potion Policy. It was my favorite mastery class I'd taken to date because it included my favorite two things: potions and policies.

I scrolled through the digital newspaper that was automatically sent to my phone each morning. It was mostly a gossip rag about the happenings in the magical world, but sometimes, it held great reports on policy cases and breakthroughs in medicine. I just waded through all the silly articles. Today's newsletter, however, held something even more obnoxious than the usual gossip.

LOVE POTION STRIKES DOWN FORRESTbrIAR ACADEMY: HEAR FROM MASTERY STUDENTS. An exclusive insider by Carter Springfield.

Skimming the article, I rolled my eyes at the wording chosen by this particular journalist. His reputation was for exaggeration and exploitation, which seemed precisely his method for writing this article. I didn't know the three students he'd supposedly already had time to interview, but I knew by his writing that their words were certainly taken out of context. One student supposedly said that the potion was the best thing to happen to our campus, but I found that highly unlikely.

"Looking exhausted, Baker," came the most grating voice anyone could hear at eight a.m. "Stay up too late snogging?"

I slowly lifted my eyes to the blond menace who was a foot taller than me and created with pure arrogance. That absurd smirk seemed permanently etched onto his face, taunting me.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Noah? I'm sure you were snogging your mirror since you're so infatuated with yourself."

"I am quite handsome, but no."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I pushed past him, bumping my shoulder into his. Well, into his arm, since I wasn't tall enough to shoulder-check him.

"Who was the lucky bloke?" Noah followed me to my seat and sat right behind it, as he had the entire semester. Unfortunately, the professor was very particular about seating and required us to keep the same seats for the duration of the term. Noah had always made it his life's mission to make mine miserable, so he sat in the seat behind me on the first day before we knew the seating rule.

"Someone much more attractive than you," I growled back at him, feeling his breath against my neck. He was leaning over his desk, peering over my shoulder at the work I was pulling from my bag. He was a pest that needed extermination. Unfortunately, I couldn't use that kind of magic on another person, though I'd considered it far too many times, if I was honest.

"You're admitting that I'm attractive," he remarked, laughing as he leaned away from me.

"That's what I heard," said his annoying friend I hadn't paid attention to until now. Lukas followed Noah around like a puppy and had ever since I first met them. I'd had a few classes with Lukas over the years, but aside from being an utter pest like his best mate, he didn't bother me. Typically, Lukas kept to himself during any spat between Noah and me. Today, however, he was choosing to be more annoying than usual. "I've always known you had a thing for Noah, Baker. I'm just glad you can finally admit it."

I turned the glare usually reserved for Noah on his dark-haired friend. "I said no such thing. Now will both of you just shut--"

"Good morning, potioneers!" Our chirpy professor interrupted the tirade I was about to go on, and I immediately straightened in my chair. Today's class had the potential to be incredibly intriguing due to what happened yesterday. "Glad to see none of you are still affected by the egregious act of violence committed against our campus yesterday."

Uncomfortable laughs sounded around the room as students exchanged glances with one another.

"I bet it was Garth, wasn't it?" Noah whispered in my ear. His hand came much too close to my face as he pointed out the incredibly awkward student who sat at the front. He rarely spoke to anyone, and he never made eye contact. I had a policy project with him my first year of mastery study, and it was like pulling teeth to get him to simply discuss the parameters of the project.

I clenched my fists but didn't respond.

"Though it was an atrocious event, it presents a lovely opportunity for us to discuss today. Can anyone tell me what the legal uses of a love potion are?"

My hand shot in the air. I'd studied this last night; I just knew Professor Fortenberry would ask us about it. He was grinning as he looked right at me, but before he could call on me, Noah spoke.

"Love potions can only be used person-to-person with the consent of the affected witch or wizard. Using love potions on an unwitting or unwilling person was outlawed in nineteen-eighty-nine, as it was causing too much involuntary action. Though the potion only increases affection, it can create situations where the potion-affected person presents unwanted physical advances toward another person." Though it was completely correct and nearly verbatim what our Potion Policy textbook said, my face was feverish with anger. Of course, Noah would speak out of turn when I was the one whose hand was properly in the air.

"Correct, Mister Lawrence," Fortenberry praised him, as usual. I wanted to sink into my seat and stew in the annoyance I was already feeling. It was much too early for me to be this wound up, but I supposed that was a normal Tuesday for me.

Tuesday was the only day I had to endure class with Noah. He was in Potion Mastery while I was in Policy Mastery, so this was the only overlap in our course material, but believe me, it was more than enough. However, I did unfortunately see him too often in other parts of campus.

"Now, can anyone explain what kind of violation occurred yesterday?"

Again, I raised my hand like a civilized student, but I didn't have a chance. Noah spoke up without being called upon again.

"Yesterday, the Love Potion was administered to seemingly every individual on campus. Only a few were left unaffected. This violates the law that no witch or wizard can put another under the influence of the Love Potion without consent. The punishment for doing so to one victim could lead to five years of no wand usage and potion supply. However, there were at least five hundred individuals affected in yesterday's event."

"And that could lead to what kind of punishment?"

Finished with being polite, I blurted the answer. "Such a crime could be punishable by—"

"A lifetime without a wand, fifty years in prison, or even magical banishment." I whipped around in my seat to glare daggers at Noah for interrupting me.

"Excellent, Mister Lawrence!" Professor Fortenberry beamed at my nemesis. I wasn't entirely sure there wasn't smoke coming out of my ears.

I hated Tuesdays.