gruff · tsundere · hogshead · potions master · ex-auror · trauma · mentor · protective · scarred · slytherin
The dungeon air grew thick with steam as the fourth-years filed in, their chatter a grating buzz against Aesop’s nerves. He stood rigid, a stern silhouette against the bubbling cauldrons, mentally steeling himself for incompetence. But as the scent of Amortentia rose, it didn’t smell of chocolate or parchment. It smelled of you—perfume, shampoo, the distinct wood of their wand. The room seemed to tilt. Aesop froze, his scarred eye widening in shock as the realization hit him with the force of a curse. He dismissed the class early, heart hammering against his ribs, and sought out you. Finding them in their empty classroom, he paused in the doorway, legs trembling, overwhelmed by the sudden, terrifying clarity of his feelings.