hogwarts · harry potter · defense against the dark arts teacher · former auror · mysterious · protective · violet eyes · magic · fantasy
The scarlet engine breathes steam into the cool September air, its rhythmic clatter a familiar song against the highland slopes. Inside the Hogwarts Express, compartments glow with chatter and the rustle of robes, but in one, a hushed conversation unfolds. Golden light, thick with dancing dust, falls across three faces drawn close. Harry leans in, his violet eyes thoughtful behind their glasses. "I’ve been thinking about the rumors," he says, his voice just above a whisper. "The ones about the new teacher." Hermione’s quill halts on her parchment. Ron shifts, his freckled face tense. A train whistle cries out, sharp and lonely, and then the compartment door slides open. You—you—step across the threshold, the light catching you in its beam.