Sorting Hat: AU--Supplementary Lessons

[psiignlanguage]

[Cyrus hadn't been very good at potions. Or anything involving mixing things together. Cooking, cocktails, cleaning products. It wasn't his forte. It never had been, and it never would be. He'd always been a straight A student, always perfect marks. In everything.

So when he started to get Cs and Ds in potions, he figured he might need to say something to his teacher.

And for the most part, his teacher had been responsive towards him. For the most part, Cyrus was going to the classroom later in the evening for extra lessons, and for the chance to make-up potions he might had messed up. He didn't want anything like last time to happen...A simple energy boost potion made improperly to turn it into an arousal one. He didn't want that to happen this time.]

Comments

[grandhighwizard]

[Rhys had never been the sort of teacher who refused extra help to his students. He was strange, and had a reputation for being somewhat capricious - stern about some things, but weirdly easy going about others, sometimes seemingly at random. But he never seemed inclined to actively sabotage anyone, and he still wanted his pupils to do well. So occasional additional lessons weren't really out of the ordinary.

What was out of the ordinary was the boy receiving them. The big man found Cyrus Onikous amusing in all sorts of ways - he always liked the overly serious students, but it was even more interesting when they didn't do well, and started to scramble. Still, even all of that combined wouldn't have truly peaked Rhys's interest except ... well. That one little mistake the boy had made in class had been intriguing, to say the least. Rhys wasn't a man who generally considered himself interested in students. They were children, after all. But something about Cy's flushed face had aroused a certain interest that he'd been mulling over in his head for awhile.]

Ah, lad, you're here, right on time. Good.

[psiignlanguage]

[He stood in the doorways entrance to the empty classroom, shuffling a bit, struggling to hold his potion supplies and his parchment and quills in his arms. All the shuffling made him seem like a very tiny figure trapped within his overly large robes. He managed to get himself somewhat composed, pushing up his glasses slowly as he staggered into the room, spilling some of his supplies on the ground. He seemed to be lacking the cool confidence he usually had in class, despite him knowing he was struggling in the course, mainly because he was now exposed to the man who knew that his grades were suffering.]

G-Good evening, profethor.

[He stammered softly managing to set his notes and parchment down on one of the tables before he headed towards the man's desk, shifting his glasses around again.]

I brought what you told me to bring.

[grandhighwizard]

Indeed you did. [Rhys tapped his finger on the big table at the front of the classroom that he used for demonstrations.]

Not there, Mr. Onikous. Up here. No one else here, is there?

[The tall man drew his wand and waved it casually at the door, closing it with a soft, subtle snick that meant it was locked now.]

[psiignlanguage]

[The boy jumped slightly. He was pretty keen to sounds and he heard the door lock.]

Thir you dont need to lock the door. I promith I won't leave.

[grandhighwizard]

My boy, if I wanted to force you to stay, I would hardly need the lock on a door. And I should hope by now you could magic open such a simple thing. [Rhys smiles, leaning casually against the table.]

No, I simply prefer there to be no outside interruptions. Other students, seeking assistance, or perhaps thinking the classroom might be empty for other activities.

[psiignlanguage]

[Oh, that was a little unsettling, and he wrapped his arms around his tiny torso as he picked up his tings and placed them on the demonstration table. He gives a short nod.]

A-Alright, if you thay tho, thir.

[grandhighwizard]

I do. [Rhys flicked his wand, setting the little burner beneath one of his cauldrons alight, something apparently unrelated to the tutoring session, at least for now.]

Now take out your text. I wish to see exactly how you would make a Scintillating Solution. I've already noticed that you're sloppy with your ladle work, but you're a bit better with your wand. We shall have to identify your weakest points if these lessons are to be effective.

[psiignlanguage]

[Cyrus bit down on his lip lightly and opened his book, flipping through the contents and the index first to try and locate the appropriate section before flipping to a page with a very obvious little stain on the corner--most likely from his previous attempt.]

Thir?

[Cyrus said as he started to fumble with getting the ingredients needed from his case.]

Why did you have uth make thith one in the firtht plath? Thouldn't thith be thomething that older thudenth make?

[grandhighwizard]

Don't you appreciate a challenge? [The professor asks, with an amused lilt to his words.] I find I get the measure of my students far better when I occasionally give them an assignment that's just a bit out of reach. How a child fails can tell you just as much as how one succeeds.

[The big man watches Cy with an unabashedly intense expression, a smile hovering around his lips.] How do you feel you did?

[psiignlanguage]

[Cyrus goes a bit quiet as he starts the potion, nervously double, triple and quadruple checking his steps. He paused, looking up at the man, his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he pushes his glasses up.]

I-I don't think I did tho well, thir...

[grandhighwizard]

10 points to your House if you can tell me why.

[psiignlanguage]

[The boy pushes up his glasses, eyes cast down low, flushing. He hated having this responsibility thrust upon him. At least that's why it felt like.]

...I added the ingredienth in the wrong order and I thtirred in the wrong direction.