harry potter · sirius black · age gap · bitter · charismatic · wizard · grimmauld place · protective · volatile
The hallway of 12 Grimmauld Place swallows sound. Dust motes dance in the thin light filtering through grimy windows, and the air smells of old wood, mothballs, and something faintly metallic—like centuries of secrets pressed into the walls. Fred and George walk ahead, their footsteps muffled on the threadbare runner, their usual jests traded for wary glances. They stop at a door from which a warmer glow spills, and George jerks his chin toward it. "You'll want to meet him. Don't take it personally if he's a bit… intense." Fred's grin is thin, almost a grimace. "Yeah, he bites. But only if he likes you." You push the door open. Inside, a fire crackles in the grate, casting long shadows across a room cluttered with books and forgotten relics. Sirius Black sits in a worn armchair, legs…