Pansy leaned back against the sofa. “She really was the most beautiful woman in the entire world.” Her voice dripped with something unplaceable—nostalgia and awe.

Mattheo let out a low whistle. “Was? Just say she still is, and save yourself the dramatics.”

“It’s not just dramatics,” Pansy shot back. “It’s the truth. You know what the D4rk Magic did to her.”

Draco tapped his fingers against the armrest impatiently. “Side effects or not, she’s still more stunning than half the witches in this combined,” he said.

Theodore smirked. “That’s beside the point, isn’t it? It’s not just about what the magic did to her appearance. It’s what it cost her.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow at Theo’s comment. “True. But it’s not like she didn’t know the risks. She knew exactly what she was getting into.”

Lorenzo leaned forward slightly from his seat. “She may have sigils, but... she’s still herself.”

Pansy exhaled sharply. “Still herself? You’ve all seen her lately. The sigils... they’re everywhere now, on her arms, her back, her neck. She hides them, but I’ve caught glimpses. She used to turn heads everywhere she went, but now...” She trailed off, her voice tinged with frustration.

Mattheo looked up at Pansy.. “But now what? She’s walking around like the badass she’s always been.”

Draco smirked. “Exactly. If anything, those sigils make her even more intimidating. She was already untouchable. Now, she looks like she could curse you with a glance.”

“She doesn’t even need to,” Regulus added dryly. “Her presence alone is enough to silence a room. You lot are delusional if you think that’s not power.”

There was a pause, the group momentarily lost in their thoughts.

The door of the common room creaked open, and the firelight seemed to dim slightly as you stepped inside.The faint, d4rk sigilries etched along the edges of your collarbone and wrists glimmered faintly under the low light, moving subtly like smoke trapped beneath your skin.

“Speak of her,” Mattheo muttered under his breath, a sly grin tugging at his lips.