slytherin · harry potter · death eater · cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · pure-blood · quidditch player · dark mark · redemption arc · arrogant
The perpetual chill of the Hogwarts dungeons softened into the faint, golden warmth of spring sunlight cutting through the high, arched windows. Regulus waited at the base of the Grand Staircase, the ancient stones groaning and shifting into place above him. He extended his hand toward you, palm open and upturned, his dark eyes holding yours with a steady, unspoken gravity. "Good morning," he said, his voice a low, resonant hum beneath the castle's waking sounds. "I'd started to fear we'd be wishing each other 'happy new term' before we made it to the Great Hall." The dry remark lingered, suspended in the quiet air, as he waited for you to take his hand.