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“Merlin, can’t I just have detention?” Barty asked McGonagall.
“Professors have sat with you through countless detentions and they seem to have no effect on your behavior. And as you are at the top of my class, not just of the Ravenclaws but of all the sixth years, I will have you tutoring your fellow sixth years for every detention.”
“That sounds miserable. Trying to explain basic concepts to nitwits for hours.”
“I imagine it could be rather frustrating repeating yourself. Like perhaps saying to a student over and over again not to brew illegal and dangerous potions in their dorm room or not supplying parties with fire whiskey which they shouldn’t be able to get anyway or not terrorizing first years with false prophetic visions. Shall I go on?”
Barty pushed himself out of the desk and stormed out of the transfiguration classroom.
“I will see you this afternoon, Mister Crouch,” Minerva called after him.
It had been Flitwick’s idea, McGonagall had told him. Forcing him to help his brainless classmates because he knew it would be more of a punishment than sitting in yet another detention. He had been caught brewing amortentia to sell right before the Yule Ball to desperate students without dates. It wasn’t even like he needed the money, rather he simply enjoyed the chaos of it all.
And that’s how after classes came to an end for the day, he found himself outside the transfiguration classroom.
“You’ll have fun,” Pandora told him with a smile after walking him over.
Barty didn’t believe her despite the fact she was very often right.
McGonagall had talked with him, explaining the expectations before disappearing into her office. She had told all of his classmates that he could tutor them for free for two hours after classes. He was hoping that people’s general disdain or even fear of him would be enough to keep them away.
But it wasn’t long before a boy came in and Barty instantly recognized him as his best friend’s dimwitted brother. Evan Rosier. He hadn’t had many interactions with the Slytherin boy despite being in the same year and being best friends with his twin sister and having several overlapping friends. Sometimes he thought he would have fit in better with the Slytherin house but the sorting hat had been so focused on bullshit like his potential. At least Slughorn wouldn’t have forced him to become a fucking tutor.
“What do you want?” Barty asked a snarl on his face.
“I just need some help with transforming feather dusters into ferrets.”
Barty rolled his eyes. They’d learned this months ago and the boy still hadn’t gotten it? “It’s just a sideways ‘s’ and then juts out to the left. And the incantation is furopurus,” he said boredly as he grabbed a feather duster and a cage from the back of the classroom and placed it on the desk.
Evan made a mess of the wand work and the duster hardly changed, its feathers having a slight furry quality to them.
Barty sighed. “I said you go to the left.”
“I did.”
Merlin, this boy was an idiot. “Then try going to your other left,” he said annoyedly.
Evan tried again, creating an abomination mix of the two things.
Barty realized that this was going to be the longest detention of his life. He demonstrated the motion and prompted Evan to try again. But the boy still moved awkwardly. Again and again and again. He was about to bang his head against the desk, hoping if he concussed himself, he’d get to leave.
“Genuinely are you a fucking idiot?”
Evan snorted. “I definitely am. Show me how,” he said with a smile.
Barty demonstrated again with his own wand but Evan shook his head. “No, show me how,” he repeated, taking Barty’s hand and pulling it to his own. He was now pressed into the side of the boy, far closer than he thought he’d get to anyone today. And maybe it was just because he was far too close to Evan now but he was looking attentively at the boy. His arm followed alongside Evan’s which he only now realized he was strong and muscular hidden under his school robes. Barty smiled as he took in Evan’s features and realized that the idiot was actually quite attractive. He moved Evan’s hand with his, guiding the motion and lingering longer than he had needed to. He pulled away slowly and cleared his throat. “Now you try.”
“Show me again?”
Barty had no complaints about that, moving back into the boy’s space but this time Evan turned, wrapping his arms around Barty’s neck and pulling him close.
“Is this okay?” Evan whispered.
Barty nodded quickly and kissed him. It started light and sweet but that didn’t last as it became more passionate and intense, making out. Fuck, this was so much better than detention. Evan pushed Barty against the desk. And they didn’t stop until they heard the doorknob turn. Evan pushed him away. He composed himself quicker than Barty who wiped the spit from his lips with the back of his hand but didn’t even try to hide the heavy breathing.
But if McGonagall noticed, she didn’t say anything, rather her attention was on Evan. “Mr. Rosier, I’m quite shocked to see you here considering your outstanding marks in my class.”
Barty turned to him, confused.
“Barty was just helping me to brush up on some things I haven’t practiced in a while.” He turned, flawlessly and more impressively, wordlessly, transfiguring the duster into a ferret. He winked at Barty with a smile. “You’ve been a great help. Maybe we can revise a bit later in my dorm.”
Barty was in shock at the boy’s whole ruse but of course, agreed as Evan left.
“Your time is up. Hopefully, this was a bit more effective than detention.”
He nodded, stifling a laugh. He cleared away the ferret and left the classroom to find Pandora standing outside the classroom with a smile. “Told you it would be fun.”