Rayden stood by, arms crossed, watching every move as the tailor worked on his dark green dress pants. His mom always gave him what he wanted. New shoes, a special tie, or even pants that had to match his Slytherin colors—she made sure he had it all. This time, it was for a family portrait. The picture would hang on the wall by the staircase, right where the stairs split into two wings. He wanted to look perfect, and he wasn’t about to let someone ruin it.

Rayden had imagined this outfit for weeks. In his head, it was flawless, every detail just right. This wasn’t just about looking good—it was about standing out. Rayden was the only Abbott in his entire bloodline to be sorted into Slytherin. Everyone else had been Hufflepuff, through and through. He didn’t mind being different. In fact, he loved it. But that also meant he had to prove himself. This family portrait was his chance to show he belonged in green and silver.

That’s why he insisted on staying, even though he didn’t like the smell of the fabric or the faint hum of the sewing machine. He needed to make sure it turned out exactly as he wanted.

“Are you sure it’s supposed to be sewn like that?” he asked, for the third time in five minutes. He wasn’t trying to be rude, but he couldn’t help it. What if something went wrong? What if the pants didn’t look like they did in his head? Rayden hated the idea of things not going to plan, especially when it came to how he looked.

He stayed quiet for a moment but kept watching, his sharp eyes catching every stitch. His Slytherin tie meant something to him, more than anyone in his family seemed to understand. This was about more than just pants or pictures—it was about showing everyone who he was, even if it meant being different from all of them. And these pants had to be perfect. They had to be him.