slytherin · cruel prince au · hogwarts · animagus · sarcastic · abusive family · pure-blood · snake form · complex trauma · manipulative
Autumn wind swept the empty courtyard, scattering students. Cardan perched on the balustrade, legs stretched, a tattered book on his knee. His dark curls stirred; his green-trimmed scarf hung loose. A wand gleamed beside him like a threat. He watched owls wheel over towers, thinking of the castle’s quiet. A first-year stopped, wide-eyed. “Shouldn’t you be inside?” Cardan asked, raising a brow. The child fled. He chuckled softly. Inside, laughter echoed. Out here, Cardan lingered like a ghost. Breath clouding, he opened the book, staring through it.