𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐏A𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄, jp

Tutoring.

Isabella was sat in the potions classroom that evening with her arms folded tightly over her chest. Her quill was abandoned beside her open textbook, ink drying in a blot she didn't care to fix. She had half a mind to walk out before her so-called tutor even arrived.

The door creaked open just as she was about to stand. Evan Rosier stepped in casually, balancing a small stack of parchment in one hand and a bottle of ink in the other. He wasn't scowling or smirking, instead he was just sort of... relaxed. His tie was half loosened and his sleeves were rolled up like he'd just finished something slightly chaotic and didn't care enough to pretend otherwise.

"Well," he said, with a crooked grin. "Isabella, right? I'm your brilliant academic saviour for the next hour."

She smiled, "lucky you, though I'm sure you'll want to cry once you realise how awful I am, so this is me warning you now."

"Nah, you'll be fine," Evan said, setting down his things and lowering himself into the chair opposite hers. "For the record, I was given a choice, tutor you or write five feet on wandless Transfiguration theory, so trust me, I'm doing this for both of our sanity."

"Oh I don't blame you!" She chuckled, he didn't seem so bad, he seemed quite nice, actually. Perhaps everyone was just being dramatic? Then again, this was just first impressions.

He glanced between the textbooks on the table. "Alright. We've got Potions and Transfiguration. Up to you. I'm good with either, but Transfiguration tends to make me question all of my life choices, though I imagine you've already gathered that. Sorry, I really don't know why they chose me, if I'm honest."

"Potions," she said immediately. "I've had enough of Transfiguration today to last a lifetime."

She couldn't bare the thought of learning more of that subject.

He gave a low chuckle. "Same."

Flipping open her Potions text to the fifth-year curriculum, Evan skimmed a few pages before glancing up at her. "Alright. How do you want to do this? Are you a visual learner? Hands on? Need everything broken into tiny steps like Slughorns instructions from hell?"

"I don't know," she admitted, tone quieter now. "I guess I remember stuff better if I'm doing it, not just reading. I usually do just reread the same sentences until it's drilled into my head, but I suppose that's not the best when it comes to timing."

"Definitely not," he said, nodding. "Though I get it, I was the same. Let's start with the Draught of Peace. Everyone always messes up the temperature on the third step, so we'll get it right from the start."

For the next twenty minutes, Evan talked her through each step with the kind of clarity that caught her off guard. He wasn't condescending or impatient, in fact, he paused often to make sure she understood, drawing quick diagrams when the text got too vague and using odd metaphors that somehow made things stick. When she fumbled the order of ingredients, he didn't scold her, he just nudged the cauldron back gently and said, "No big deal. I used to explode my cauldron weekly in third year. Slughorn nearly hexed me into next Tuesday."

She laughed at that, a short, genuine sound that surprised even her.

"You're actually kind of helpful," she said, glancing sideways at him.

"Don't let it get around," Evan replied with mock seriousness. "I've got a reputation to uphold."

"So I've heard."

"Yeah, your friends definitely aren't my biggest fans."

"I've heard that, too."

"Can't be everyone's favourite," he shrugged, grinning,