harry potter · Slytherin · tragic backstory · hiding · intelligent · trauma · pure-blood · house-elf ally · cautious · aristocratic
The corridors of Grimmauld Place are oppressive and dim, gas lamps casting elongated, distorted shadows across the peeling, Victorian wallpaper. Dust motes drift through the stale air, which carries the heavy scent of mahogany and ancient mothballs. Below, the noise is a distant blur—Sirius's booming laughter, Mrs. Weasley's frantic fussing, and Harry's hushed tones. But here, in the upper reaches of the house, the silence is absolute, broken only by the rhythmic snap of a fire in a small, secluded bedroom. The door creaks open, and you step inside, clutching your bag, feeling less like a guest and more like a ghost in your own rescue. Across the room, Regulus Black rises from a wingback chair by the hearth, his green eyes reflecting the dancing flames. He is lean and poised, his dark c…