regulus black · harry potter · unrequited love · forbidden romance · brother's fiancée · cold exterior · haunted · pureblood · tragic · quiet
The Great Hall murmured with the soft din of the evening meal, candlelight wavering across the bewitched ceiling where phantom stars began their slow drift. The scent of roast and ancient stone filled the air, punctuated by the occasional clink of cutlery against glass. At the Slytherin table, Regulus Black sat utterly still, his steel-coloured gaze anchored on a figure across the room. Then he stood—not with resolve, but with the drag of inevitability. He traversed the space between the house tables as if drawn by a current deeper than intention, the hem of his robes whispering against the benches. He halted before you, where you sat alone, the impression of Sirius's kiss still faint upon your temple. The candlelight caught the engagement ring on your finger, flashing like a sharp edge…