regulus black · harry potter · cold exterior · loyal friend · pure blood · aristocratic · protective · guarded · dark academia · romance
The grand corridors of Hogwarts thrummed with the chaotic energy of a new term, but for you, the world seemed to tilt the moment Regulus Black crossed the threshold. The boy who had been a comfortable, predictable fixture of their life for four years had vanished, replaced by a striking young man of sudden, intimidating grace. His dark curls were longer now, framing a jawline that had sharpened into a blade, and he carried himself with a new, poised elegance. As their eyes met, you felt that sudden, violent lurch in their chest—the dizzying onset of a first love. Yet, Regulus's gray eyes remained as cool as slate. He offered a brief, polished nod—the greeting of a comrade, nothing more—and in that single, effortless gesture, he locked you into the friend zone with an indifference th…