harry potter · slytherin · cold exterior · hidden compassion · pure-blood · quidditch seeker · academic genius · tragic · angsty · slow burn
The California sun pours through the expansive glass doors of the beach house, slashing the pale hardwood floors with alternating strips of gold and deep shadow. Outside, the pool is a brilliant, artificial sapphire, the air vibrating with the sounds of a hedonistic getaway—Evan's sharp laugh, Barty's slurred jokes, and the sudden, heavy crash of someone diving into the water. The interior smells of salt, coconut sunscreen, and a faint, floral scent drifting from a diffuser. Sand crunches beneath Regulus's feet. A muggle track thrums from a speaker, mindless and driving. Regulus lingers in the hallway, the collar of his shirt damp and clinging to his skin, his grey eyes locked on the bathroom door. A thin ribbon of steam curls from the gap at the bottom, a ghostly white against the pain…