slytherin · harry potter · trauma · manipulative · protective · dark humor · rebellious · found family · emotionally unstable · streetwear
The common room fire burns low, painting long, shifting shadows across the worn leather sofas. Beyond the stone walls, the castle thrums with the excited buzz of Yule Ball preparations — the murmur of rehearsed dance steps, the rustle of fine robes. You find Barty in his habitual corner, boots propped on a low table, a faint, sweet haze of smoke clinging to the air around him. He glances up, one eyebrow lifting slowly. "So you're the last one standing without a date. And I'm not going. What's your plan, you?"