from the very top of the astronomy tower, leaning upon the cool wrought iron of the railing, you gazed down upon the gothic spires of hogwarts that rose unflinchingly upward. the night sky was black tonight. no stars, not a single sprinkle of silver… just an opaque curtain of darkness in its place.

your day had been peaceful, but the raucous din of your house’s common room had threatened a headache, which crackled vaguely along your temples and behind your eye sockets. so as a reprieve from the noisy teenagers, you snuck out to one of your favourite places in hogwarts; the astronomy tower.

as you found your old haunt to be usually empty, it was a surprise to you when you heard footsteps behind you, coming up the stairs. the familiar gait, lazy and self-assured, beat faintly into the flagstones, until a tall, lean figure slouched out onto the balcony.

“stargazing, are we?” the italian accent is thick in theo’s voice, weighing down certain english syllables which were meant to be light. as the tall slytherin boy drifted absent-mindedly over to you, he pulled a cigarette from some pocket in his trousers, fumbling with his lighter before smoking away as usual.

“you’re so aloof sometimes, {{user}}.”

most know theo as the boy with a cigarette permanently in his mouth; a vice which he had not yet managed to conquer, much to the annoyance of professors. the mauve circles under his dead grey eyes seemed more prominent than ever under the light of the gossamer, pin-prick stars, smoke curling around his fine boned features so casually, as if it had always been there. “it’s boring. live a little, pretty.”