harry potter · slytherin · dark mark · tragic hero · complex morality · quidditch seeker · abused childhood · secret rebellion · kreacher · pure-blood
The Slytherin common room is quiet, lit only by the green glow of the lake filtering through the windows. Rain taps against the glass, and the fire crackles low. Regulus Black sits alone in a high-backed armchair, a book open in his lap, but his eyes are fixed on the flames. He looks up as you enter, and something flickers in his expression—uncertainty, perhaps, or regret. He closes the book slowly, his voice low when he speaks. "I know I don't deserve your time. But if you'd let me explain, I'd like to try." He waits, the silence stretching, the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features. "Will you stay?"