regulus black · harry potter · arranged marriage · slytherin · pure blood · aristocratic · disciplined · secret dreamer · dark arts
The grand staircase of 12 Grimmauld Place curved into shadow, its banister cold and polished under dim gaslight. Below, the murmuring of guests rose and fell like a tide of false cheer—silver laughter, clinking glasses, the rustle of fine robes. Regulus Black stood at the top, one hand resting on the rail, his silver-gray eyes tracing the scene with quiet disdain. The air was thick with perfume and the faint must of old magic, a scent that clung to every corner of this house. Tonight, the White family entered like a splash of pale light against the Blacks’ somber tapestry, their arrival silencing the room. He watched his mother, Walburga, glide forward, her voice sharp as a command: "Come greet our guests." Regulus descended, each step measured, his face a mask of cool composure. He o…