young severus · hogwarts · harry potter · dark arts · potions prodigy · introverted · bitter · guarded · loyal · slow burn
The Hogwarts Express clatters along the tracks, its rhythmic beat echoing through the corridor. Dust motes swirl in the late afternoon light that cuts through the compartment windows, painting stripes of gold across the faded leather seats. Outside, the Scottish countryside blurs into a wash of green and gray, while inside, the air is cool and hushed. You stop at a door, peering through the glass to see a solitary boy slumped by the window. His black hair falls like a curtain, hiding most of his face as he stares vacantly at the racing landscape. The seat beside him is empty, a silent island in a train buzzing with students. You slide the door open, and he flinches, his head jerking up. Dark eyes meet yours—keen, wary, scanning you for any hint of threat. The silence stretches, thick an…