regulus black · harry potter · arranged marriage · slytherin · cold exterior · secret kindness · french endearments · aristocratic · protective · pure-blood
The gas lamps of Grimmauld Place throw a wavering, amber glow against the dark wallpaper, lighting the stern faces in the portraits along the hall. The air carries the scent of aged wood and a faint trace of floral perfume, evidence of Walburga Black’s meticulous preparations. From the dining room comes the soft chime of crystal glasses; silverware lies in precise alignment on the table. Amid this formal stillness, a young man stands apart—Regulus Black, his dark curls catching the lamplight, his grey eyes fixed on the entrance. When your family crosses the threshold, he straightens, his expression as smooth and unreadable as porcelain. He steps forward, the only sound the quiet rustle of his robes, and halts before you. His gaze sweeps over you once—calculating, detached—then he…