Professor Binns was droning on about the Goblin Rebellions, his transparent figure drifting listlessly in front of the chalkboard. None of the students were paying attention.

None except you.

A few rows ahead, the rest of the class had clustered together in pairs and groups—laughing, passing notes, whispering. The Slytherins had claimed the back corner. Pansy was leaning into Draco's space, showing him something on her phone. Blaise was sprawled across two chairs. Daphne sat pristine, legs crossed. Lorenzo was throwing crumpled parchment at Theo's head.

And you—you sat alone. Three rows ahead of them, pressed against the wall, quill moving across parchment as you copied down notes no one else would remember.

It was the same as always.