Radar
Tony’s first week as Defense Teacher was about as non-exciting as the term ‘boring’ implied.
Having been at the school last year, a lot of the ‘First Year’ glaze had left him so that he could focus on the job.
Said job was currently filing into the room as he waited at the podium in the front of the room.
In the eight minutes before class, almost half of the Fourth Year Ravenclaws were already coming in.
Nerves having got the best of him, he had readied everything that morning and was now just amusing himself with taking attendance.
That was probably why he ended up glancing down and spying a name that raised his eyebrows.
‘No way,’ a smile spread across his face as more kids filed in.
On the other hand, though, he supposed it was only a matter of time with a school this big.
The bell signaled class to start as he was still laughing, the idea that the class was probably thinking him nuts right now slowly bringing him back to reality.
“Right,” he cleared his throat, rubbing an eyebrow as he focused on the students watching him. “So, first week back. How’s that feel? Hope everyone’s ready to start the year off right and, since we’ve pretty much covered most things last time, I thought I would take more time to get to know you. So, here’s some questions I want to know the answers to,” he turned the mobile chalkboard around to reveal his writing. “Just general stuff, promise.”
He watched everyone get to work before he returned to the podium and the rest of attendance.
Everyone was there, of course, and it gave him hope that he wouldn’t be a total and utter failure at this, technically since this was the first ‘actual’ class as opposed to the introduction last time they met.
“And once you’re done,” he absently continued, “Radar will collect the papers that are face down.”
It took a few minutes to realize that the class had gone silent.
A glance up told him that their silence was because of their blank staring.
“What?”
“Professor?” one of the boys raised his hand. “We don’t know anyone named… er, Radar.”
He stared back before he remembered. “Oh. Oh, no. No, I mean Walters.”
Everyone looked at the Ravenclaw in question, who seemed just as interested, before looking back at Tony.
“Um, my name’s Riley, sir,” she shyly corrected, dark brown plait draped over a shoulder in a manner that reminded him of Booker. “Riley Walters.”
“Yeah,” Tony smiled sheepishly back. “Riley O. Walters. Sorry, it’s just that your name reminded me of someone else’s and it was a guy’s name. No big deal, really. I was just thinking of him a little bit ago and that slipped out.”
“Is he a friend?” she shyly wanted to know.
He was, technically, since Tony counted the original Radar and company his friends after pretty much growing up with them. “I guess you could say that. I’ve never really met him, though.”
That seemed to be enough for them to work with.
After that, though, he could only really think of her as ‘Radar’ and that kept slipping out to her dismay and his chagrin until she had no choice but to accept it as others started calling her the name, too.
In fact, Tony passed by some girls not too long after that class and his hearing picked up snatches of their conversation.
“So, ‘Radar’ is the name someone had at his school?”
“No, I think it was Radar’s actual name that someone had.”
He made a mental note to send her something to show how sorry he was for this and told his cousin Peter Burke about it.
“Tony, it’s not even the first week’s end before you go converting everyone into calling someone by a different name,” his disembodied voice was amused during the Fire Call.
“Couldn’t be helped. Now, everyone knows who she is.”
“You know, this reminds me of your school days and your nicknames –”
“Bye, Peter,” he ended the call on Peter’s echoing laughter.
* **