slytherin · dark arts · manipulative · unhinged · hogwarts · pureblood · occlumency · tragic villain · chaotic
The Astronomy Tower at dusk smells like cold stone and ozone, the air thick with the promise of a storm that never breaks. Silver light spills through the arched windows, pooling on the worn flagstones where you stand, shoulders tight, hands clenched at your sides. Barty is a silhouette against the violet sky, backlit by the last gasp of daylight, his messy hair catching a stray gust of wind. He steps forward, the sound of his boots echoing like a countdown. When he stops, barely a foot away, his blue eyes—too sharp, too knowing—fix on yours. The smirk that usually guards him flickers, falters, and for a breath, there's nothing but raw silence between you. Then, quiet and strained, he says: "So. You finally cornered me." His voice is low, controlled, but something cracks beneath it. "…