Chapter Text
Gryffindors were annoying.
Like that gaggle that always hung out near the lake, giggling loudly to themselves as they taunted the Giant Squid. Sonny used to love hanging out there. It was serene and peaceful and there was always a lovely breeze blowing gently through the trees. Now, he couldn’t step foot there in fear of being splashed by a very irritated Giant Squid. Sonny was stubborn by nature, and it took him a while to learn his lesson, but eventually, it chipped at him so much that his resolve crumbled like a sad, soggy cookie. It didn’t help that Vox had the awful habit of teasing him about it when he returned to the common room, grumpy and sopping wet.
He would be less inclined to judge if it was just an unpleasant minority, but he knew better. After five whole years spent eating in the Great Hall (Daily! He had to deal with this Every. Single. Day! ), it was really difficult to continue to maintain a neutral stance. Their house table was always so loud in the mornings, with lots of friendly jostling and jabs traded among the excitable lions. It also wasn’t uncommon for food fights to spontaneously occur- he had a huge drumstick flung onto his face before when he took the hint and tried to leave the disastrously noisy place- and once they started, they didn’t stop . It took the collective effort of all the professors to calm them down most of the time, while the other three houses sat and watched in varying levels of exasperation.
It was honestly embarrassing that he was even related to one. His brother was not an exception to this trend. In fact, Luca was arguably one of the worst ones- it was not uncommon to hear professors yell his name as he fled the scene of his latest prank, accompanied by a few of his cackling Gryffindor buddies(Sonny didn’t know their names and never cared to find out.). From a couple well-placed Dungbombs in the boys bathroom to setting off (admittedly spectacular) fireworks during a Charms test, he had pretty much done it all. Which brings Sonny to his point. Gryffindors-
“Coming through!” An all-too-familiar voice warns, and Sonny barely has time to tighten his grip on his books and duck before a red blur whizzes through the air from behind him, just about missing his head. It’s Luca, of course it is, and he’s on a Comet 290, laughing hysterically. “Wait up, Luca!” Another red blur zooms past him. “Sorry!” The blonde atop the broom stops to shoot Sonny an apologetic look before dashing off again, presumably in a futile attempt to catch up to Luca.
Scratch that. They were infuriating .
And now he had to tutor one. Was on his way to a classroom to tutor one, to be exact.
It all began rather unfortunately, actually.
“Before I dismiss you, let me take a moment to congratulate the top scorer for our last class test. Sonny Brisko from Slytherin house has scored a brilliant thirty-nine out of forty for the essay, simply a phenomenal piece of work, that was. Thirty points to Slytherin house, and I hope you can all learn to be as hardworking as he is. We will be going through the test tomorrow. That will be all for today, you are dismissed.” The class starts to murmur quietly at the sudden announcement, and a housemate whispers “Nice going, Brisko” from the row behind him. He quips back a near automatic “thanks”, still reeling from the news. What was it that he got wrong? Was his conclusion not comprehensive enough for Flitwick?
He’s still mulling over his possible mistakes when he’s jabbed painfully in his ribs. “Flitwick’s calling you, man.” Vox hisses quietly, and Sonny starts.
“Y-yes, Professor?” He gasps, clutching at his side, and the wispy man beckons at him from the front of the classroom. A very guilty looking Gryffindor stands beside him, scratching at his head absent-mindedly. This can’t be anything good, Sonny groans inwardly as he trudges up to them with a thinly-plastered smile on his face.
“I would like to ask you for a favor, Brisko.” The Charms Professor starts, smiles benignly at him. Uh oh. The Gryffindor shuffles his feet nervously. “Alban here hasn’t been doing very well in Charms, you see. I was wondering if you could tutor him?”
Sonny’s brain comes to a screeching halt. “Me? Tutor him? Professor, but-” He tries to argue immediately, bewildered, but Flitwick dismisses him with a wave of his hand. “Nonsense, my boy, you’re the best Charms student I’ve had in years. Your knowledge will be more than sufficient. Now, I was thinking…three times a week? Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Would that be alright for you, Brisko?”
The Gryffindor, ‘Alban’ or whatever, blanches visibly at the offer. “But Professor, I have Quidditch practice on-” He pipes up, distressed, only to be interrupted smoothly by Flitwick.
“I’m not asking you, Knox. You’re the one receiving help here. Now-”
“Please, Professor Flitwick, the first match of the season is coming up soon, and we-” The Gryffindor boy tugs at his sleeve beseechingly, but Flitwick, firm as always, shushes him and shoots him a quelling look. The brunet closes his mouth and starts to pout instead. Great, he’s on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Could this get any worse?
“I'm well aware. It is unfortunate, but you will have to inform your team about your new commitment. You are, after all, first and foremost a student of Hogwarts, and will do well to remember your responsibilities. Now, back to what I was trying to say... is that alright with you, Brisko? I am aware you have many responsibilities as well, as a newly-appointed prefect.”
“Of course Professor, I would be nothing if not delighted to help out a fellow schoolmate.” After only a moment of hesitation, Sonny forces himself to grit out the response through his teeth, silently bemoaning the loss of his free time while doing so.
“Excellent! You will receive a good amount of extra credit and house points for these sessions. As for Knox, I sincerely hope you will take this opportunity to improve on your Charms. It is not every day that you get the chance to be personally tutored by the top student, after all.”
And with that, Sonny Brisko’s fate had been sealed.
In front of the Professor, they had arranged to meet at an empty Charms classroom the very next evening, in accordance with the schedule he had suggested (read: forced upon them). The exchange had been rather civil, but from his experience, Gryffindors were nothing if not unpredictable. Who knew what the brunet had planned for their little tutoring session? Perhaps he wouldn’t even show up- Sonny wouldn’t put it past him. Jocks and their unexplainable love for physical activities…
And with those worries fresh in his mind, he turns the corner and opens the door to the Charms classroom.