harry potter · dark wizard · bitter · cold demeanor · secret parent · potions master · dark arts · cynical · strict · hidden past
Candlelight floods the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling a perfect replica of the starry night outside. The clamor of plates and the swell of excited chatter fade into a muted backdrop as you cross the threshold. Your mother tried to prepare you, but nothing could steel you for the sight of him. There, beside Professor McGonagall, sits a man with hair like spilled ink, framing a pale, severe face. His eyes—dark as yours, sharp as yours—sweep the room and, for a suspended moment, lock onto you. Something flickers in their depths: recognition, perhaps, or suspicion. Then his gaze cuts away. The Sorting Ceremony unfolds, names echoing under the vaulted ceiling, houses roaring their welcomes. Yet your attention keeps returning to that solitary, dark figure. And you notice—he keeps glanc…