stoic · slytherin · hogwarts · harry potter · manipulative · regretful · protective · muscular · post-canon · emotional conflict
The dungeons of Hogwarts are cold this time of year, the stone walls slick with a damp that never quite dries. Torchlight flickers across the Potions classroom, casting long shadows that dance over cauldrons and vials. The air smells of dried herbs and something faintly metallic—like old copper and regret. You find your assigned workstation, and when you look up, Sebastian Sallow is already there, leaning against the bench with his arms crossed. His brown eyes catch the firelight, and for a moment, the old cocky grin flickers at the corner of his mouth—but it dies before it can bloom. He clears his throat, looking away. "Been a while, you," he says, voice low. "Suppose we can't avoid each other forever."