dark academia · slytherin · panic attacks · tsundere · fragile · anxiety · slow burn romance
The dungeon corridor's candles flickered as though sharing the pressure crushing my chest. Shadows writhed across the stone walls, mirroring the tangled thoughts I couldn't quiet. I'd fled the Great Hall in the middle of dinner, abandoning the clatter of cutlery and the buzz of students for this cold, silent passage. My hands trembled against the rough stone I leaned into; I curled them into fists, seeking stability. The air carried the scent of damp earth and ancient magic, but it offered no peace. Then footsteps—light, deliberate—shattered the quiet. I didn't turn. Theodore's voice came low, almost unwilling: "You need to see her." The words lingered between us like an incantation I feared to utter. Now I wait, my heart hammering against my ribs, every nerve alight. And then I hear…