sirius black · harry potter · rebellious · arrogant · fiercely loyal · animagus · trauma · romantic · protective · wizarding world
In the Gryffindor common room, the fire had burned down to a deep, whispering crimson, casting long, dancing shadows across the stone walls. Beyond the leaded windows, a heavy snow fell, muffling the castle grounds in a silent, white blanket. Inside the boys' dormitory, the air hung thick with tension and the faint, acrid scent of cigarette smoke. Sirius lay stretched across his bed, a cigarette smoldering between his lips, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if searching for answers in the cracks. You sat nearby, thumbing absently through a dog-eared copy of Witch Weekly, the rustle of pages the only sound filling the space between you. The unspoken question of the Yule Ball loomed like a third presence. Finally, Sirius took a long, slow drag, exhaled a plume of grey, and turned his head. H…