Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Chapter 284 Merry Christmas

On December 22, 1973, the day before the holiday, Hogwarts was filled with a lazy restlessness.

The light from outside the window had turned yellowish, and it slanted into the classroom, shining on the blackboard, half of it lit and half dark.

When the school bell rang, the entire castle seemed to be turned on.

The young wizards surged out, their robes sweeping between chair legs, not caring who stepped on whose shoes, creating a huge blockage at the doorway.

The hallway was even more lively than the classroom.

The young wizards, clutching their books and parchments, ran and shouted as they hurried back to their dormitories to pack their belongings, then were completely set free to play everywhere.

Regulus headed towards the cellar; he didn't need to run, there was nothing to pack.

The young master of the Black family didn't need to fold his robes and stuff them into a box like other young wizards.

The robe he was wearing was self-cleaning and dust-proof; the runes woven into the fabric would remove dust and wrinkles, making it look brand new even after a semester.

The shoes are made of Hungarian tree bee larvae skin, lined with cashmere, and have a waterproof and moisture-proof lining, designed specifically to combat the autumn and winter weather of the Scottish Highlands.

His wardrobe in Grimoire Place contains his complete set of robes, which he replaces when they become too small; they are custom-made.

He doesn't even need to bring a change of underwear.

After entering the common room, Regulus headed towards his dormitory.

With Avery and the others not around, Alex was worried and insisted on going over the plan with everyone again.

Rabastan chose to make his move the day before the holiday, probably thinking that even if he messed things up, the professor and Regulus wouldn't have time to investigate.

Everyone's in a rush to go home for Christmas, who has the time or energy to care about this?

This idea isn't entirely wrong; it just shows he has some brains, but not many.

His every thought and action was thoroughly investigated, yet he still considered himself resourceful and thought he was hiding in the shadows.

But he never considered why this timing was just right for him.

Regulus ignored him; Alex could go through it again if he wanted, since it was the last time anyway.

He walked to his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Baruch stayed in the drawer for three days, behaving quite well; if you didn't want it to go out, it wouldn't.

There was also a small web inside the drawer, with a few strands of silk running horizontally and vertically. It wasn't a proper spider web; it looked more like a foundation.

Hearing the drawer being pulled open, it stood up from the center of the net, its eight legs spread out, its chelipeds opening and closing with a series of clicks.

It circled the drawer twice, then climbed onto the front row of wooden ridges and looked up at him.

Regulus drew his wand, tapped it, and applied his Transfiguration Charm for the day.

Baruch froze for a moment, then started clicking away again.

"Tomorrow—" Regulus said.

Baruch tilted his spider head.

"I'll take you back to my lair."

Baruch's chelicerae spread even wider, and his eight legs wobbled on the wooden edge. He almost lost his footing and quickly used his spider silk to hold himself up.

"A large...nest?"

"Bigger than here."

Baruch jumped down from the wooden frame and circled the drawer three times.

"Alright," he said, closing the drawer but leaving a crack for it to breathe. "I'll come back to see you later."

Another click came from the drawer.

The library was quieter than usual today, but it was still packed; there were a few Ravenclaws in the corner who were working on their last day.

Regulus pulled a copy of "The Evolution of Medieval Defense Spells" from the bookshelf and sat down in his usual spot by the window.

He turned to a chapter in the middle, which was about how 14th-century French witches used reflective spells to fight against being burned at the stake.

Not long after, familiar footsteps came and stopped on the other side.

"Here they come." Regulus looked up.

"Hmm." Lily placed a book on "Advanced Potion Making" on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

Today she was wearing a Gryffindor robe, gold and red, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, the ends of which swayed over her shoulders.

The two of them read their own books.

The library was very quiet.

The sky outside the window darkened completely, and the light from the magic lamp fell on the table, making the open pages of the book appear white.

Since we're on holiday tomorrow, neither of us watched TV for very long today.

Lily flipped through a few pages, then closed the book and looked at Regulus with her chin in her hand.

Regulus finished reading the last paragraph, closed the book, and looked up.

"Not watching anymore?"

"I'm not watching anymore," Lily sighed. "I'm thinking about something."

"Hmm," Regulus asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

Lily pouted, a hint of resentment in her voice: "I can't practice magic during the holidays again, for two whole weeks."

The last syllable was drawn out, as if two weeks was some kind of catastrophic disaster.

Regulus looked at her: "You can practice manipulating magic; you won't trigger the Threads without using a wand."

Lily's eyes lit up, then she frowned. "Really? You're sure it'll be okay without a wand?"

Regulus explained, "The threads are attached to the wand. Every time you cast a spell, the Ministry of Magic can read it—what spell, when, and where."

"But-

"6

“The manipulation of magic doesn’t go through the wand,” Regulus continued, “and it’s not a spell, so the threads won’t trigger it, and they can’t detect anything.”

Lily nodded thoughtfully; she believed what Regulus said.

In that case, I'll go home and practice manipulating magic without using a wand.

Regulus did not continue.

Actually, there's another way: get another magic wand.

If you don't buy it from Ollivander, the little wizard will automatically be bound to the tether simply by buying the wand there.

You have to buy a second-hand one; they sell them in Fandao Lane.

But there's a problem.

There's no such thing as choosing a wizard for a used wand; compatibility is a major drawback. Ollivander's set requires a new wand that hasn't been bound to a master.

Moreover, no one can say for sure what the previous owner did; he might have been a dark wizard, or he might not have been a wizard at all.

No one knows whether the core of the staff has been infused with anything, whether there are any remnants of curses or dark magic memories.

Furthermore, Lily shouldn't go to Knockturn Alley; proper little wizards shouldn't go to places like that.

But if you really want to find one for Lily, there are plenty of ways.

A wand is an essential item for a wizard. After using it for a long time, it becomes a habit, just like clothes and shoes. You can't forget to bring it when you go out, but it actually has a very deep strategic significance.

Fairies are not allowed to use wands, and this was even achieved through war.

No pure-blood family has the custom of having a wizard who only keeps one wand.

Wands can break, be confiscated, or be broken. No one would allow themselves to become useless without their wand.

A pure-blood family that waits until its wand breaks down before looking for a replacement will never become a family.

So you always need to keep a few on hand, even if they don't fit perfectly, they'll be useful in an emergency.

Ollivander said that wands choose wizards, which is true, but when you're on the battlefield, nobody cares about that.

Regulus put his thoughts aside and didn't say anything.

"Regulus".

Lily's voice brought him back to reality.

She was looking at him, her lips slightly pursed.

Regulus snapped out of his reverie and coughed lightly. "Lily, what's your wand made of?"

Lily was taken aback; she hadn't expected him to ask that.

Then he sat up straight, took his wand out of his robe pocket, and placed it on the table.

“Willow wood,” she began enthusiastically, “ten and a quarter inches, with a dragon heartstring core.”

“Mr. Ollivander said—” she blinked, mimicking that tone, “Oh, willow, Miss Evans.”

Willow wood chooses wizards with exceptional potential; it will accompany you as you grow, and it is willing to wait.

"The core of Dragon Heartstring's staff is very powerful, but it also requires its master to have his own temperament. You two are very compatible; I can feel it."

She chuckled to herself after she finished speaking, a little embarrassed: "That's what he said."

Regulus's lips curled slightly as he listened quietly.

After Lily finished speaking, she looked at Regulus with bright eyes, clearly pleased to share her wand with him.

Then she asked, "And yours?"

"Blackthorn Plum, Dragon Heart Tendon Staff Core, 12 and 1/4 inches."

"Olivendine said—" He mimicked Olivendine's tone even better than Lily's: "Ah, Mr. Black, blackthorn wood, the wood of warriors."

"The dragon's heart ligament, the strongest staff core, you will accomplish great things."

Blackthorn Plum wood is well-suited for duels and battles, while the Dragon Heart Tendon Staff Core can unleash the most powerful magic.

These are all correct, but they are not enough.

He bought his wand when he was eleven years old, and the Regulus Black of that time was no longer the same person as the Regulus Black of today.

Lily nodded in complete agreement; she couldn't agree more.

Regulus is capable of great things, do Ollivander need to say that?

Regulus smiled.

"Why did you ask me about the wand?" Lily suddenly remembered.

He simply said, "Just curious, asking."

Lily looked at him suspiciously, sensing that there might be more to this than met the eye.

Then she leaned back in her chair and sighed, "Okay."

Lily then asked, "Do you know what to do during the holidays?"

Regulus reacted quickly and knew what she was asking.

"I know, write a letter."

Lily nodded in satisfaction, a smile playing on her lips: "That's more like it."

"What are your plans for the holiday?" she asked casually.

"Practice magic."

Lily's expression fell slightly, and she looked a little aggrieved.

But she immediately perked up and decided to practice her magic control during the holiday so that she could surprise Regulus when she returned.

Her eyes shone brightly: "Then you practice yours, and I'll practice mine. Don't think I'm improving too fast."

Regulus glanced at her but didn't reply.

Lily laughed first.

The library was empty, and the lights cast long shadows on the bookshelves.

Mrs. Pince peeked out from behind the bookshelf, holding a feather duster in her hand. She didn't come over, but stood a few meters away watching them.

Lily stuck out her tongue, shrank her neck, quickly closed the book, and stuffed it into her bag: "Let's go, let's go."

As the two passed by, Lily gave Mrs. Pince her sweetest smile: "Mrs. Pince, Merry Christmas."

Mrs. Pince didn't speak, but nodded her chin in response.

Regulus nodded and followed Lily out of the library.

The door closed behind them, and the torches in the corridor were brighter than those in the library, making their shadows longer.

"Remember to write a letter during the holidays," Lily said.

"Yes." Regulus nodded.

Lily emphasized again, "Don't forget."

Regulus nodded again: "I won't forget."

Lily wouldn't let him off the hook: "You always say that."

Regulus had no choice but to nod again: "Not this time."

Lily snorted, turned and walked towards the Gryffindor Tower, then turned back after a couple of steps: "Merry Christmas, Regulus."

Regulus responded gently, "Merry Christmas."

Lily turned around and walked forward, her footsteps echoing in the corridor before fading into the distance.

Regulus stood there for a moment, then turned and walked toward the Slytherin dormitory.