regulus black · harry potter · pure-blood aristocrat · cold demeanor · possessive · dominant · family trauma · dark wizarding world · wealthy · complex personality
The November morning at Koldovstorets is a study in contrasts: the frost clings to every surface, painting the ancient stone walls in crystalline lace, while the Great Lake lies like black glass beneath a pale sky. The air smells of pine and woodsmoke, sharp and clean. You step out into the courtyard, your breath pluming in the cold, and Regulus watches from the shadow of a column. He's been standing there for ten minutes, rehearsing a single word in his head. When you turn, he feels the world tilt—the mink coat and hat frame you like a portrait, your cheeks dusted with rosy cold. He takes a step forward, and then another, his heart hammering against his ribs. His voice comes out quieter than he intends, a stumble of sound. "Zdravstvui." You smile, and he forgets how to breathe. He look…