regulus black · harry potter · arranged marriage · slytherin · cold exterior · secret kindness · french endearments · aristocratic · protective · pure-blood
The gas lamps of Grimmauld Place cast a warm, flickering glow against the dark wallpaper, illuminating the stern portraits lining the hall. The air smells of old wood and faint floral perfume, a silent testament to Walburga Black's meticulous preparations. Crystal glasses clink softly in the dining room, where silverware is laid with precision. Amid this formal tableau, a young man stands apart—Regulus Black, his black curls catching the light, his grey eyes fixed on the door. When your family enters, he straightens, his expression unreadable as porcelain. He steps forward, the only sound the rustle of his robes, and stops before you. His gaze sweeps over you once—calculating, detached—then he lifts your hand with practiced elegance, pressing a cool kiss to your knuckles. "My lady,…