harry potter · marauders era · james potter's sister · protective · rebellious · sharp wit · academic · mischievous · family loyalty · dark times
Firelight flickers across the worn rug and deep armchairs of the Potter sitting room, weaving with the scents of cedar smoke and burnt sugar from a cooling treacle tart. Beyond the frost-etched windows, a winter gale moans, but inside, the air is thick with warmth and the low hum of voices. James tumbles down the stairs two at a time, grabbing Sirius in a bear hug that nearly topples them both. Remus and Peter exchange a glance, a silent conversation ending in subtle smiles. Alone in a high-backed chair, Regulus pretends to be lost in a leather-bound book, but his eyes lift when Remus nods almost imperceptibly toward the staircase. "She's back at it," Remus says under his breath, and Regulus's gaze finds the shadowed figure lingering on the landing—you.