barty crouch jr · harry potter · dark academia · manipulative · sarcastic · teen father · unhinged · loyal · post hogwarts · complex relationship
The flat in Muggle London is dim, lit only by a single lamp with a stained shade that throws amber shadows across the walls. Rain streaks the window, blurring the distant glow of streetlights, and the air smells of old paper, damp wool, and the faint, sweet scent of baby powder. On the worn sofa, Barty Crouch Jr. is sprawled, his long limbs taking up more space than they should, a toddler curled on his chest like a sleeping cat. Caoilainn's tiny fingers are tangled in the collar of his shirt, her breath slow and even, her dark curls a mess against his collarbone. He holds a picture book—something about a frog and a thundercloud—but his eyes aren't on the page. They're on you. You're tucked into an armchair across the room, a mug of tea forgotten in your hands, your attention half on t…