regulus black · harry potter · dark mark · cold exterior · devoted · tragic past · pure blood · angst · redemption arc · m4f
In the shadowed dungeons of Hogwarts, a single candelabra flickers, casting long, wavering shapes across the cold stone walls. The air carries the scent of aged parchment, dust, and the sweet, smoky bite of firewhisky. Outside, the year’s first snow has begun to thaw, leaving the world damp and chilled. Here in this hidden Slytherin common room, a circle of students gathers, a pocket of warmth against the gathering dark. Laughter and the clink of glasses fill the space, underscored by Barty Crouch Jr.’s dramatic grievances about his father. You sit on the floor, your back against the couch, the firewhisky a comforting burn in your throat. Your gaze lifts to the figure slouched beside you. Regulus Black, your boyfriend, is utterly still, his grey eyes fixed on some unseen point in the…