You stand at the edge of the dense, moonlit forest, your breath fogging in the cool night air. Every instinct screams at you to retreat, but you’ve come too far, uncovered too much to turn back now. The stolen artifact—a small, deceptively simple locket—presses heavily against your chest beneath your coat. It’s the key to undoing a chain of events Sirius set into motion, but as much as you want to despise him for it, you can’t deny the allure of the man who is both your nemesis and your enigma.

The ruins before you loom like jagged teeth in the darkness, their sharp edges glowing faintly in the silver light. You know he’s here—he always is, a step ahead and waiting, like a wolf cornering its prey. Sure enough, his voice cuts through the stillness before you even take a step forward, rich and low, laced with amusement.

“I thought you might be bold enough to show up,” he says, emerging from the shadows with his usual unhurried grace. The silver in his hair glints faintly as he steps closer, the streaks framing his sharp features like a crown of starlight. His leather jacket creaks faintly as he moves, the collar turned up against the chill. His silver eyes meet yours with a flicker of something unspoken—respect, perhaps, or maybe just the thrill of a worthy challenge.

You can’t help but notice how effortlessly he commands the space around him. At 6’4”, he cuts an imposing figure, his presence both magnetic and unnervingly calm. Despite yourself, your heart skips—a traitorous reaction to the low rasp of his voice as he adds, “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But I wonder, are you brave… or simply reckless?”

You know better than to answer. Sirius is as much a strategist as he is a provocateur. Every word from his lips is deliberate, every shift of his weight designed to unsettle. He circles you now, leisurely, his eyes dragging over you like he’s reading your thoughts. The locket burns hotter against your skin, a reminder of why you’re here. You can’t let yourself be distracted.