Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

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Regulus glanced around; the crowd was gathering in their direction.

He was all too familiar with the gazes of the older students and the stares of the younger students.

There was longing, probing, and hesitation—wanting to approach and strike up a conversation but not daring to.

He knew what was going to happen next.

He just helped Rosalie unleash the full Ironclad Charm, which is sure to make people envious.

The Ironclad Spell is not a simple thing. Normally, being able to fully cast the Ironclad Spell before adulthood and actually use it for combat defense is considered excellent.

But he had a freshman do it in front of everyone, and the effect was too obvious.

The younger students might think, "Could you help me out too?"

The older students might wonder, "How did he do that? Could you teach me?"

Those with their own agendas might wonder if they could use this opportunity to strike up a conversation.

Either way, it's a hassle, and dealing with it is never-ending.

Regulus didn't want to face this scene, so he turned and walked back to the sofa area.

Avery was still sitting there, talking to a second-year student next to him, when he saw Regulus come back. He stopped and looked up at him.

Regulus sat down beside him: "Avery."

Avery leaned closer.

Regulus gave the order directly: "The rest is up to you. Remember what I just said: tradition, legacy, the Slytherin spirit."

Also, what I just said was the outgoing chief's reward and encouragement to the new chief, so let's stick to that tone.

Avery paused for a moment, and Regulus patted him on the shoulder without saying anything more.

Then he stood up, glanced at Hermes and Alex, and the two immediately stood up.

Regulus walked out.

When the people who had gathered around saw him about to leave, they instinctively moved aside.

Regulus nodded to the group and walked straight through the crowd, with Alex and Hermes following behind him. The three of them left.

Avery was still sitting on the sofa. He paused for two seconds, watching Regulus's figure disappear through the door, before turning to look around.

Avery opened his mouth, and then some images flashed through his mind.

The image of my father talking to people at home: leaning back on the sofa, speaking slowly and deliberately, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

The Ministry of Magic officials who came to our house were sometimes polite, sometimes arrogant, but my father was always the same.

Occasionally, there would be a portrait of my father in the newspaper, standing in the corridor of the Ministry of Magic, talking to a few people.

That expression, that posture—as he thought about it, he realized, yes, that's it.

Avery stood up, a smile spreading across his face—reserved, warm, not perfect, but somewhat appealing.

His voice was slightly high-pitched, yet steady: "Gentlemen, Mr. Blake asked me to convey a few words."

The crowd quieted down and began to gather in this direction.

Avery continued, "The Slytherin tradition is passed down from generation to generation."

As everyone saw tonight, the new Master Slytherin faced challenges, while the previous Master Slytherin provided guidance. This is what Slytherin should be like.

His gaze swept across the crowd: "Mr. Black said that what happened just now was the outgoing chief's reward and encouragement to the new chief, and he hopes that this tradition will continue, and also hopes—"

He looked at Rosalie: "Miss Selwyn, remember how you felt tonight, and pass on this spirit in the future."

Rosalie nodded, her expression solemn and serious, as if she had received a great mission, her heart heavy with emotion.

Is this what responsibility is?

She will do it!

A murmur arose around them; some nodded, some seemed thoughtful, and some disagreed.

A strange feeling welled up inside Avery; he realized that he seemed to be quite good at this.

Regulus walked out of the lounge, the door closing behind him, shutting out the lively sounds inside.

The corridor was empty, with only the dim light of torches. The stone steps stretched upwards, ending in darkness.

Alex and Hermes followed behind him, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

They made their way up to the eighth floor, where the dancing fool Barnabas was still trying to teach the troll ballet.

Regulus walked back and forth three times across from the tapestry, and a door appeared on the wall. He pushed the door open and went inside.

Inside the "Always Required" room, Regulus turned and looked at Alex.

From the moment he stepped out of the lounge, Alex seemed to have something to say, and that hesitant expression followed him all the way.

Regulus knew what he was thinking.

Just now, the scene was so simple and easy. With a single point of the wand, the first-year student unleashed the complete Ironclad Charm.

Alex would definitely be tempted.

His talent was not outstanding to begin with, and the Ironclad Spell that Rosalie just cast was almost better than his.

This is only the level of a freshman, while he is a second-year student and has been training with Regulus for so long.

Anyone would think, "If Regulus did that to me, would I become really strong?"

Regulus's voice was calm: "Alex, I'm asking you."

Alex looked up.

"Is it better to have power of your own, or power from someone else?"

Alex paused for a moment: "Of course, your own is the best."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Hermes, who was leaning against the door with his head down and not looking at him.

Regulus continued, "Do you want your safety to be out of your own hands?"

Alex paused for a moment, then realized what Regulus was talking about.

That power wasn't his own.

He lowered his gaze and remained silent for a moment: "I don't want that."

But even though they say that, they still want it in their hearts.

If Regulus is willing to help him, will he be able to catch up with the others and no longer be the weakest?

But he didn't say it aloud. If Regulus had already asked, it would be too tactless for him to say he wanted to.

He simply lowered his head and didn't say anything more.

Regulus looked at Hermes: "And you?"

Hermes leaned against the door, arms crossed: "No."

nonsense.

He had experienced real battles, and in the face of life and death, any power that did not belong to him was deadly.

Regulus understood what he meant: Selwyn could unleash that level of armor spell, but it didn't belong to her.

Hermes thought for a moment and asked, "That spell, it doesn't belong to her?"

Regulus didn't answer directly; instead, he asked, "How did Mr. Murseb teach you dark magic?"

Hermes' eye twitched, as if he had remembered something bad.

"Demonstrate it yourself," he said, "and then let me feel it."

"What do you feel?" Regulus pressed.

"Feel that...emotion."

Hermes hesitated for a moment, glancing at Alex and then at Regulus, before finally speaking.

"The things that black magic needs—anger, murderous intent, the urge to destroy—he made me feel how he did it first, and then try it myself."

Regulus nodded. That's right.

Some magic requires specific emotions or willpower to activate.

A skilled wizard can guide learners to experience the feeling of this kind of magic by having them feel it first.

But this doesn't mean giving him the power directly; it just means telling him which direction to go.

What Regulus just did was similar.

He used his mind to guide Rosalie's magic, allowing her to feel the sensation of protecting herself and refusing to be harmed.

The essence of the Ironclad Curse has never been about building a wall, but rather about not wanting to be hit or hurt.

This threshold has blocked many people; many adult wizards cannot use it because they cannot construct this belief.

But if Rosalie thinks that this is how she can completely master the Ironclad Charm, and that this is how it should be used in the future, then she is wrong.

If this armored spell ultimately lacks her own understanding and her own magical imprint, then it is ultimately just something Regulus lent her.

When Regulus did this, he didn't prepare in advance or practice repeatedly; he just decided to do it on a whim and then did it naturally.

After he did it, he realized that it wasn't anything special.

It would be easy for a powerful enough wizard to do this to a junior wizard.

His mental strength is strong enough, and his control over magic is precise enough; these are the foundations that enable him to do so.

As for the guardian imagery of Betelgeuse, it's just a convenient trick to make the guidance process smoother, not the key element.

A truly skilled wizard would only see this as a normal demonstration.

They will understand that Rosalie was simply getting a taste of what the Ironclad Curse should look like.

After she goes back, she will have to practice on her own, experience it herself, and make that feeling her own.

If she thinks she has completely mastered it, that's her own problem.

The news might even spread tonight, and a letter will arrive at her home tomorrow, telling her what to do next.

As for the Selwyn family—

Regulus mentally reviewed the information about the family.

One of the Twenty-Eight Holy Clans, there is no clear record of them joining Voldemort's side during the First Wizarding War. It is possible that some members participated, or that they were exonerated after the war by claiming to have had their souls taken.

During the Second War, they did side with Voldemort, but only Selwyn appeared by Voldemort's side, which should be the sixth-year student tonight.

This family is different from the Malfoys; the Malfoys are cunning and opportunistic.

Unlike Lestrange, those people were fanatical and bloodthirsty.

Unlike the Roh family, Roh's violence is purely bloody and violent.

Selwyn is more like a loyal henchman who follows orders. This kind of family has its uses and room for cooperation.

Umbridge later falsely claimed to be related to the Selwyn family, using their name to elevate himself.

Regulus snapped out of his thoughts; none of that mattered.

All the things he did tonight—seeing through Jeffrey, finding out who was behind it all, accepting the challenge, giving on-site guidance, letting Snape get exposure, and having Avery take over—had only one purpose.

He was verifying a hypothesis.

After Betelgeuse was incorporated into the star orbit system, he made several speculations about the conditions for its illumination.

One of these is the need to proactively exert decisive influence on the outside world for the first time, rather than passively responding.

Another is the need to see through what others cannot see, and to achieve one's goals through this.

Tonight, he saw through Jeffrey's problems.

He noticed it, but no one else did.

Following this lead, he could find Dorfin Roll, who was hiding behind the scenes. Although it hadn't been confirmed yet, it was pretty close.

This is seeing through things that others cannot see through.

How do we achieve our goal?

His goal certainly can't be the grandest kind; that requires time, accumulation, and a larger stage.

However, a temporary one can be set.

Gaining prestige, demonstrating power, consolidating position, and exerting influence can all be objectives.

He agreed to the challenge and gave a great performance, showing everyone his composure and strength.

He provided on-site guidance to Iron Mantra, enabling a freshman to accomplish the impossible.

He made Snape show his face and had Slughorn take him away.

He put Avery in the position, giving this small group a voice in the public eye.

This gives new meaning to the competition for the top spot.

These are all ways to exert influence externally.

Each event was small, but together they were enough to make tonight memorable.

In Slytherin, such memories ferment.

Tomorrow, the day after, and for the next few weeks, people will keep talking about what happened tonight.

They say Blake is amazing, they say Blake is generous, they say Blake carries on tradition.

This is the source of prestige and the way to consolidate one's position.

As for how far it will ferment and how long it will take, he doesn't know; he has to wait.

But regardless of the outcome, this conjecture can be verified.

If Betelgeuse undergoes even the slightest change, like when it began to light up when facing the spiritual erosion of the Whisper of the Abyss, it would mean that this path is correct.

If it doesn't light up, try a different approach.

Regulus looked at Alex, who was still looking down and hadn't said a word.

Regulus didn't say anything more; some things you have to figure out yourself.

He turned and walked towards his private cabin: "There's still time tonight, those who want to practice can practice on their own."

Hermes walked from the doorway to the training ground.

Alex looked up at their backs and slowly followed.