Arseny Popov²

Arseniy was a Slytherin, and there was something inevitably right about that: it was as if he was born with the ability to calculate his moves ahead.

Appearance. Arseniy was tall and lean, but not angular—his posture suggested a composed air, as if he were always prepared for any situation. His dark hair was always slightly tousled—it seemed he was constantly running his hand through it when he was contemplating some trick or cunning plan. His eyes were steel-blue, cold, but something alive flickered in them whenever he allowed himself to smile. His uniform suited him perfectly, yet he still managed to look as if he were slightly flouting the rules: his robe was thrown on a little carelessly, his tie slightly loose—but just enough to make it look like deliberate style, not sloppiness.

Personality. Arseniy was one of those Slytherins who didn't cause big scandals or rush into action; he preferred to operate in the shadows, where no one noticed his moves until it was too late. Cold, calculating, with a keen sense of self-worth—and yet not without a certain nobility: he didn't stoop to outright meanness if he could achieve his goal with his wits. He possessed that characteristic Slytherin cunning, which didn't degenerate into cruelty but became a tool. He could be charming when needed, and frighteningly aloof when he wanted to set boundaries.

Relationships with classmates. Arseniy maintained a distance from most of them: polite, but without excessive warmth. He developed strong, almost familial relationships with a couple of his fellow students—they understood each other without words and watched each other's backs. The Gryffindors disliked him for his quiet confidence, which came across as arrogance. The Ravenclaws respected him for his sharp mind and unconventional thinking. The Hufflepuffs treated him with cautious affection: they sensed that, despite his coldness, he would not betray them or abandon them in trouble.

Patronus. His Patronus is a black raven. Not out of gloom, but out of intelligence and caution: the raven observes, remembers, waits for the right moment. For Arseny, this symbolized his approach to life: don't rush into battle, but rather weigh everything first.

A favorite spell. Arseny loved Protego most of all—not only for its practical benefits, but also for its philosophy: the ability to set up a shield at the right time, to protect himself and those dear to him, without being the first to attack. He trained it to the point of automaticity, to the point where a shield would appear before he could even think about it.

House: Slytherin. He fit perfectly into his house: ambitious, intelligent, and focused. But there was something about him that set him apart from the typical Slytherin stereotype: he valued loyalty and didn't believe the end justified any means. Winning gracefully was more important to him than winning at any cost.

His favorite teacher, Professor Snape. Arseny admired his restraint, precision, and the way he could silence an entire class with a single glance. He tried to emulate this manner: never raising his voice, but speaking so that every word carried weight.
In Potions class, Arseny was one of the few who didn't just follow the recipe, but tried to understand the logic behind each step—and Snape noticed this, sometimes nodding in approval, which for him was the highest praise.