Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

The path of spatial magic is indeed very long, and this idea is excellent with a broad prospect.

However, there are still many difficulties to overcome in order to apply space networks in actual combat.

The biggest problem is computation.

Each spell has its own trajectory within the spatial network. If multiple spells are stored at the same time, a path must be planned for each spell to prevent them from colliding.

Once they collide, it's not as simple as two spells colliding.

Different magical properties and spell strengths can trigger a chain reaction when they collide.

A Stunning Curse and a Disarming Curse colliding might simply cancel each other out.

But what if a healing curse and a killing curse collide?

The entire network could crash.

It doesn't just collapse; it also releases all the spells stored inside at once, indiscriminately, regardless of friend or foe, or direction, in a pure, massive explosion.

Regulus calculated it.

Store a spell, and the trajectory is unique. You can go any way you want, as long as you don't hit a wall.

If you have two paths, you have to make them staggered. One should take route A, and the other should take route B. They can't collide at any point.

If you have three tracks, you need to consider the intersections between each pair, so that the three tracks can operate simultaneously without interfering with each other.

Preserve the Five Paths —

Five incantations, twelve pathways, and the possible intersections increase exponentially.

That's not just a five-fold relationship, but a complexity of tens or even hundreds of times. With each additional step, the amount of calculation doubles.

He had to maintain the movement trajectories of five independent incantations in his consciousness simultaneously, and the curvature, speed, and position of each trajectory had to be adjusted in real time.

We also need to predict all possible intersections in the next few seconds and avoid them in advance.

That's the real challenge.

He couldn't do it before; his brain could process it, but his magical control couldn't keep up. But after perfecting his Star Orbit Meditation, he was able to do it.

With the five stars of the constellation illuminated, the entire mental system reached a new level. The five trajectories were calculated and controlled simultaneously without any problems.

But any more than that would be too much.

As for ten or even twenty questions, that would require even more mental effort and calculation, as well as a more precise division of labor.

Mental splitting techniques can come in handy.

Divide consciousness into several independent parts, each living in a separate small room, with each part responsible for monitoring several trajectories.

It's like running several threads at the same time, each doing its own thing without interfering with the others.

He tried opening three windows of consciousness simultaneously to process fifteen trajectories, and it was barely manageable.

But it can't last long, and if something goes wrong, the consequences are too severe.

So this can't be rushed, let's practice first and take it slowly.

Regulus pushed open the door to the small room and returned to the main training ground, where he immediately saw Hermes.

He lay in the middle of the open space, limbs outstretched, looking as if he were dead if it weren't for his chest still rising and falling.

Regulus walked over and looked down at him.

Hermes had his eyes closed, breathing heavily. Sweat soaked his hair, which clung to his face, and his clothes were drenched, making him look as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

Regulus nudged his leg with his toe: "Get up."

Hermes opened his eyes, looked at him, moved slightly, and then remained still.

"Can't get up?"

Hermes lifted his eyelids slightly.

Regulus lightly tapped his right index finger, casting a levitation spell on him.

It doesn't float completely, it just makes the body lighter, and it can glide by relying on the friction between the soles of the feet and the ground.

Hermes felt himself being lifted up by a force, light and airy, and could slide forward with just a little effort from his toes.

He looked at Regulus with a hint of speechlessness in his eyes.

Regulus ignored him, pushed open the door and went out. The two of them walked one after the other, one floating and the other drifting, back to the dormitory.

I quickly washed up, lay down, and went to sleep.

......

One day in mid-September, at the House of Requirement, close to midnight.

Regulus has enabled the spatial network to store five spells simultaneously, not just simply storing them and releasing them; he has achieved true, normalized operation.

The five incantations traveled through the twelve channels, their paths intersecting but not interfering with each other.

He can pinpoint which spell he wants to unleash with a single thought, and he can also make them all appear at once.

He stood in the center of the training field, tapped his fingers five times, and five disarming spells shot out simultaneously, each entering a different anchor point channel.

They traveled through the network for ten seconds, then simultaneously launched from five different anchor points, each heading in a different direction.

It looks great and has good practical value.

With a ten-second delay, five beams are fired simultaneously in random directions. Against those unfamiliar with spatial magic, this move is enough to kill them instantly.

Regulus left the Room of Requirement and headed towards his bedroom.

At the end of the corridor, a huge window faces the night sky.

The moon was big and round, and its silvery-white light poured down, shining on the stone windowsill and illuminating even the patterns on the window frame.

Regulus stopped and looked at the full moon, when suddenly he remembered something.

I wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest last semester, but I never found a suitable opportunity.

The opportunity has arrived!

The thought came to him immediately, and he decided to go.

Regulus turned and went downstairs with light steps. About ten minutes later, he stood near the castle gate.

The main gate is the most direct route out of the castle, but it's also a place that the school janitor and Filch are particularly concerned about. They originally planned to go around to the astronomical tower to avoid disturbing anyone by opening the main gate.

The castle's defensive magic density is very high now; who knows what might happen if we open a door?

But as soon as he got near the entrance hall, he saw three figures ahead of him, acting suspiciously and creeping towards the door.

Regulus stopped in his tracks.

In the dim light, the features of those figures were all too obvious.

The one charging ahead, with his flamboyant stride, seemed eager to let the whole world know he was on an adventure—James Potter.

Following half a step behind him, small and thin, looking as if afraid of being grabbed by something, was Peter Pettigrew.

The last one walked with a languid posture, but his eyes were alert, and he kept glancing back.

Sirius Black.

Regulus's first reaction was speechlessness.

These three guys sneaked out of the castle in the dead of night, under the full moon.

It's obvious what they're up to; Lu Ping definitely isn't in the dorm today.

On the night of the full moon, the werewolf transforms.

James and Sirius claim to be inseparable from Lupin, but do they really know the truth about the nights Lupin disappears each month?

Maybe they don't know, they're just suspicious, but we'll come out and verify it tonight.

Perhaps she already knew that she would be spending the night with him.

But regardless of the reason, all three guys were incredibly stupid.

Dumbledore must have made thorough preparations to allow Lupin to attend school; the place where he transforms is protected, and there are probably school staff or professors watching over it.

What if the three of them just follow along and the protective measures are triggered? What if Lupin loses control? What if he interferes with the school staff or professors?

What will they do if something unexpected happens?

Do they make things up through their prank scripts?

Or should we throw someone out to attract the werewolves' attention?

Reckless, foolish, and impulsive.

Regulus intended to leave through the side door, ignoring them and letting them do whatever they wanted, it was none of his business.

There are definitely people watching over Luping; nothing serious will happen.

And they would have done it anyway, and nothing bad happened.

Regulus looked away, too lazy to think about it anymore.

But just as he turned around, he remembered the ring he was wearing.

He raised his hand to look at it; it was silver, with the Black family crest engraved on the face.

When his father gave it to him, he said that if he wore it, the ring would heat up if another member of the Black family was in critical condition, and the higher the temperature, the greater the danger.

The ring sat quietly on my hand, cool to the touch, without any heat.

But Regulus thought about it and decided to follow and take a look.

James and Peter are irrelevant; whether they live or die, whether they become werewolves or are whipped to death by branches, it's none of his business.

But Sirius...

Without further thought, he raised his hand and touched his body, casting a modified Illusion Spell. A cool sensation spread throughout his body, and his figure disappeared into thin air.

Regulus kept them at a distance.

But you don't need to be particularly careful; you can even follow them openly. The three of them aren't that vigilant.

The three left the castle, crossed the lawn, went around the Black Lake, and made their way towards the Willow Tree.

Regulus followed behind, watching their backs.

James walked at the front, his posture flamboyant, occasionally turning back to urge the people behind him to hurry up, his voice lowered, but not low enough.

Peter followed behind James, cowering and trembling at the slightest sound. He kept looking around, but couldn't see anything.

Sirius walked at the back, his gait loose and relaxed, showing some awareness. He looked back several times, but couldn't see anything.

It looks decent, but it's nothing special.

The "Hit-Man Willow" has arrived.

Under the moonlight, the huge willow tree stood quietly, its branches occasionally swaying without wind, as if twitching in a dream.

James crouched behind a clump of bushes, pointing to a spot at the base of the Whomping Willow, and whispered something.

Peter nodded vigorously, his face full of admiration, while Sirius frowned, seemingly deep in thought.

Then James moved, rushing out of the bushes and heading straight for the Beating Willow.

The branches suddenly lashed out and struck down hard.

James tried to rush over, but the branches were too fast and too dense. He dodged left and right, looking disheveled.

A branch lashed at his shoulder, making him stagger, while another struck his leg, nearly knocking him over.

Sirius tried to rush in to help, but as soon as he stepped into the attack range, he was forced back by the branches. He drew his wand and tried to cast a spell, but the branches didn't give him a chance to aim.

Peter huddled behind the bushes, trembling, and showed no intention of approaching.

Regulus watched from the shadows, mentally summarizing each person's performance.

James Potter is courageous and energetic, but he can be impulsive and reckless, a typical Gryffindor.

Sirius Black is alert and has good judgment, but he doesn't think things through enough before acting; he is also a Gryffindor.

Peter Pettigrew is a cowardly, easily swayed, and unreliable in dangerous situations—an atypical Gryffindor.

He watched the three men's pathetic performance without feeling anything; in fact, he even felt a little amused.

The Whomping Willow is Dumbledore's first line of defense. Its attack pattern is fixed, and as long as you find the pattern, you can get through it.

But these three people clearly didn't know that and just tried to force their way in.

Suddenly, Regulus's gaze froze.

There was a person standing under an old oak tree next to the Willow Tree.

His long, silvery-white beard gleamed faintly in the moonlight, and his crescent-shaped glasses reflected the moonlight.

He just stood there, quietly watching James and the other two perform, looking as if he had stepped out of the moonlight.

Dumbledore.

Regulus was taken aback.

His magical senses were always on, but he didn't sense anyone approaching. Dumbledore just appeared out of thin air, as if he had always been standing there, only now that he could see him.

Dumbledore looked at James and his two companions for a moment, then turned away.

The gaze passed over the bushes, through the moonlight, and landed precisely on the spot where Regulus was hiding.

He tilted his head slightly and gestured in a certain direction, indicating another path outside the attack range of the "Strike Willow".

Regulus knew that Dumbledore had deliberately let him see it, otherwise he would never have noticed.

Moreover, Dumbledore probably knew he was coming.

They knew Sirius and the others were coming, they knew he stayed up late at night, and they knew he might follow them.

So we'll wait here.

A thought flashed through Regulus's mind.

This old man, just by standing there, seemed unfathomable.

He dispelled the Illusion Curse, emerged from his hiding place, and headed toward the path Dumbledore had indicated.

James and his two companions were still entangled with Liu, completely unaware that another person had appeared behind them, and yet another person had disappeared.