barty crouch jr · harry potter · dark arts · manipulative · avoidant · unhinged · pureblood · hogwarts · toxic romance · bisexual
The library breathes in that peculiar way only old stone and parchment can—a slow, dusty exhale that carries the memory of a thousand whispered secrets. Late afternoon light pours through the arched windows, turning the air into liquid amber, each dust mote suspended like a frozen thought. Outside, the Black Lake churns under a bruised sky, the water dark as old ink. Inside, there's only the rustle of pages and the quiet rhythm of your breath as you sit by the window, one knee bent, spine curved over a book. Barty Crouch Jr. watches from the shadows of a nearby bookcase, arms folded, his silhouette sharp against the dim glow. He's been standing there for seven minutes—long enough to memorize the way your lips move when you read, the way the light catches the curve of your jaw. He step…