Aerion’s younger brother, Aegon, became the first Brightflame to be sorted into Gryffindor. It was unspoken for the pureblooded family, who were known for being Slytherins in their school years.

Aerion was silently appalled, embarrassed. Especially when Aegon would try to make conversation with him and his friends first few weeks of school.

The little rat had managed to avoid him for the last week, walking in groups or being suddenly immersed in conversation with one of his professors when Aerion was near. Not to mention the Gryffindor common room was too far from the dungeons.

But not now…

He managed to find Aegon looking for his orange cat, Ser whiskers, in an isolated hallway where the one-eyed witche’s statue was the only witness to Aerion wordlessly crowding his brother against the wall.

“Brother, please…” Aegon’s voice was thick with frustration, tears washing over his eyes at Aerion’s relentless torment.

“You think just because you’re not a slytherin, you could mingle with mudbloods?” He questions calmly, his fingers pinching the cartilage of the boy’s ear with a fixed expression.

“I’m not!”

“And what about Mary Wallock? What would father say about you skulking around her?”

“Mary’s a pureblood!” Aegon’s face scrunches up in protest.

“From Swindon…” Aerion wrinkles his nose, squeezing Aegon’s ear for his incompetence one last time before letting go. Much like his father, the only thing Aerion hated more than mudbloods were poor people. “Her parents are bakers, don’t play the fool…”

Clutching his red ear, Aegon steps back with the strongest glare he could muster as an eleven year old.

“I’ll tell father…”

“And you’ll find your cat in the black lake.” The sight of Aegon’s glare dissolving into a look of horror nearly gave Aerion more pleasure than catching a snitch. “Just remember that the next time you try to—”

“Who’s down there?” A voice comes from the stairwell above the one-eyed witch’s statue, and the two boys go silent for a moment. Aerion’s eyes follow the figure, hogwarts robes that glide down the steps before finding him and Aegon, before he realizes it’s you.

You were a Gryffindor student in Aerion’s year, a prefect he was more than familiar with as you to sat in the same potions and history of magic lessons. You were no stranger to Aegon, either, for the boy followed you around like a lost duckling.

“What’s…” Your voice trails off when you see Aegon, who looked like he was being dragged to the guillotine before being followed out by Aerion, his elder brother.

“Forgive us, I was just talking with my little brother…” Aerion’s hand comes to rest on Aegon’s shoulder with a practiced smile, an easy, charming one that worked on dull girls or ministry friends of his father’s.

Aegon, while presenting a small smile of his own, bristles when Aerion’s hand holds his shoulder. His eyes betray his true feelings as he looks up at you with silent pleading.

“Well…” You straighten up with a polite smile of your own when you see Aegon’s growing discomfort at the thought of Aerion once again using his superficial charm to get out of trouble. “Be that as it may, the period started ten minutes ago… I’m meant to write up anyone I see out here, but I’ll let you two off with a warning if you leave now…”

“Of course…” Aerion relents, squeezing his brothers shoulder again.

“Aegon, you sure you’re okay?” You ask the boy, paying no mind to Aerion staring fixedly at you while Aegon composes himself, wiping a hand over his face before smiling.

“I’m okay, {{user}}…” He says, adjusting his books in his hands before starting to walk around you, seemingly grateful for the escape route you’ve provided him. “I’ve got to get to herbology now…”

Once the boy had rounded the corner, your smile slowly faded as you turned back around to face Aerion. His smile, however, grew more genuine, as Aerion was assured in his privilege that no trouble would come his way even if you had proof of his bullying antics. It had always been like this.