Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Chapter 325 Orion: Am I holding my son back?

Orion looked at Regulus, unsurprised.

Having just caused such a stir in the pureblood community, this is the time when their reputation is at its peak.

Many people dream of having this kind of attention, and they wish they could devote all their energy to cultivating it, showing their faces everywhere, and making friends everywhere, thinking that fame itself can put food on the table.

But Regulus's first reaction was to practice magic.

This son wasn't even immune to being misled; he simply didn't take any of it seriously from the beginning.

Once you have enough fame, let it go; once you have enough influence, stop. Always know what you're going to do next.

"The Cuthberts are coming the day after tomorrow," Orion said. "The Malfoys are coming the day after."

Regulus shook his head: "Father can handle it."

"The Rozier and Selwyn families also sent invitations," Orion glanced at a letter, "They both want to see you."

Regulus continued to shake his head: "I'm not going."

Orion picked up a few more letters: "The Foley family, the Greeno family, the Birch family, all from the last two days."

He pulled one of the letters out and waved it in his hand, his tone subtly sarcastic: "The Foleys' wording is very solicitous, almost like a marriage proposal."

Regulus's lips twitched, but he didn't reply.

He knew about the Foley family, Lily's roommate, Marcia Foley.

Orion put the letters back on the stack, then picked up a separate one from the corner of the table. The envelope was larger, the parchment thicker, and the wax seal bore the Ministry of Magic's stamp, a deep blue one.

"The United Wizarding Enforcement Division of the British Ministry of Magic," Orion read aloud, as if reciting a menu.

"Regarding the building damage and magical conflict that occurred during the Christmas dinner at Lestrange Manor, we wish to have an informal meeting with Mr. Black, the person involved, to understand what happened."

He held up the letter for Regulus to see.

Regulus pursed his lips, but quickly withdrew them.

Orion shook his head, tossed the letter back onto the table casually, not putting it back in the pile of letters, but just leaving it on the edge of the table corner, almost dropping it to the ground.

The Ministry of Magic's invitation to a hearing didn't even qualify for a formal filing on the Black family's desk.

The heirs of the Twenty-Eight Sacred Clans deal with their own family members in other people's manors. Whether it's beating or burning, it's an internal matter of the pure-blood family. When is it any outsider's place to hear the proceedings?

Families that have been in the pure-blood circle for hundreds of years don't take the Ministry of Magic seriously.

"What's the next step?" Orion asked.

"The Whomping Willow," Regulus replied briefly.

Orion nodded: "We've arrived. Agnes has arranged for you to be on the north side of the plantation. The land has been cleared out, and you can go there anytime."

"Thank you, Father."

Orion picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Father, I need some more salamanders," Regulus said.

Orion put down his teacup: "What are you doing?"

"I have a... pet," Regulus paused, "and I want to do some modifications using the fire resistance of the salamander."

The term "pet" isn't entirely accurate. Baruch was an intelligent and magical animal that could talk, make judgments, and had its own ideas. It could hunt on its own deep in the Forbidden Forest and was one of the more intelligent members of its kind.

But if you really want to say something, Baruch eats his food and lives in his house. Although he was the one who abducted him, he is being taken care of by him. So, in terms of status, he should indeed be classified as a pet.

Orion looked at him and raised an eyebrow slightly: "That eight-eyed giant spider?"

Regulus nodded. It wasn't surprising; the head of the household couldn't possibly be unaware that a level XXXXX magical creature had entered their home.

Orion did know, but he never did anything about it.

The thing hadn't left Regulus's bedroom since it entered Grimmauld Place; it was quiet, didn't hurt anyone, and didn't make any noise.

The XXXXX classification represents the highest level of danger according to the Ministry of Magic's standards, but Orion has never paid much attention to the Ministry of Magic's classification system.

There are a few things locked in the study that, if taken out, could rewrite the entire classification system.

My son keeps a spider as a pet, it's just a hobby, there's no need to interfere. An eight-eyed giant spider might be a dangerous creature in other people's homes, but it's just so-so in Blake's home. Let him keep it as a hobby.

"The fire resistance of the salamander," Orion repeated, a hint of contemplation in his voice, "You want to perform a transplant of exotic magical traits?"

Regulus nodded: "Yes."

"Beyond Form?" Orion asked again.

Regulus raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise, then nodded. His father was also a studious person, so it wasn't surprising.

Orion was silent for a moment. He had also read through the forbidden books section of Hogwarts when he was young.

While the theoretical framework for modifying the form and grafting traits of magical creatures is complete, very few people have actually attempted it in practice.

That was a transfiguration technique so advanced that most wizards would shy away from it, requiring precise replication of magical structures and extreme control over magical energy.

There are some cases of this being done on humans, but the book doesn't say it's wrong to put the abilities of one magical creature into the body of another magical creature, and I've never heard of anyone doing it.

Besides, the eight-eyed giant spider and the fire lizard are completely unrelated, and only Regulus would put them together.

"You have quite an idea," Orion said, his tone ambiguous between praise and admiration. "Salamanders aren't hard to get. Just tell Agnes, and she'll arrange it."

Regulus nodded again: "Yes."

The study was quiet for a while, then the green flame in the fireplace flickered, casting an eerie glow on the stack of letters on the table.

Regulus sat in his chair, his gaze fixed on a spot on the table, but he wasn't looking at anything.

He was thinking about Voldemort. He had briefly mentioned it last night, but was there anything else he should tell his father?

The Horcruxes cannot be mentioned; if it could be, it would have been revealed long ago. Even a single word about them could be leaked, and if Voldemort found out, it would be the end for us.

Horcruxes are Voldemort's deepest secret, and the only thing he truly cannot let anyone know.

Orion will have to meet Voldemort later.

In Voldemort's style, the first thing he would do upon meeting someone is to unleash Legilimency.

If the father had the concept of Horcruxes in his mind, and Voldemort found them, then the Black family wouldn't just be a matter of being purged; they could be completely wiped out.

As for Voldemort's current appearance, his face, his body, and that modified, inhuman quality, after thinking about it, I decided not to say anything.

Voldemort has not made a public appearance for a long time, and most people in the wizarding world have never seen his true face at this moment.

Whatever the reason, Voldemort chose to conceal his appearance, and his appearance should not have been revealed by someone like Black.

Moreover, compared to Horcruxes, appearance is only a minor detail.

Thinking of this, Regulus looked up and suddenly realized that he didn't actually know Orion very well.

My father was undoubtedly a skilled wizard, not to mention his combat prowess, as well as his political acumen, and he could wield all kinds of magic.

He definitely knows Occlumency, and his skill level is quite high. Having been in the pureblood circle for decades, anyone who doesn't know Occlumency would have been thoroughly investigated long ago.

But being able to withstand Voldemort is a different matter entirely; he didn't know if his father had ever experienced that kind of suggestive behavior that made people want to cooperate.

"Father."

Orion, look over here.

Regulus asked directly, "Could your Occlumency spell stop Voldemort?"

Orion was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I don't know."

He understood what Regulus meant.

There were things he wanted to tell his son, but he couldn't say them until he was sure his son could withstand Voldemort's Legilimency.

The father and son talked a lot in this study.

He even discussed path selection, family positioning, the situation analysis of pureblood factions, and even the possibility that Abraxas Malfoy might be eliminated by Voldemort.

This is a genuine strategic dialogue, analyzing Voldemort himself to discuss the logic behind his actions.

These things would be trouble if Voldemort saw them, but that would be all they would be.

Based on the Black family's influence and private analysis, Voldemort wouldn't turn against them over these matters; he knew that each family had its own agenda.

But now Regulus is asking this question, and his meaning is very clear.

Compared to these, what he discovered, or what he knew, was on a completely different level.

That's really deadly.

Orion looked at Regulus across from him, and a thought crossed his mind.

This son is meticulous. No matter how he knows, sees, guesses, or who tells him, if he thinks it's not safe, he won't say anything and won't take any risks.

Orion nodded slightly, then asked, "What level?"

Regulus simply shook his head slowly, without answering.

Orion didn't ask any more questions.

Even the rank cannot be revealed; that is the highest rank.

The study fell silent for a while.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside Orion.

At the age of twelve, he had undergone Legilimency in front of Voldemort and guarded what he was supposed to guard. Now, he was considering whether he could safely tell his father about it.

The conclusion was no, because it was uncertain whether the father could withstand the same tests.

So he didn't say anything.

Am I holding my son back?

There was another moment of silence.

Regulus stood up: "Then I'll be going, Father."

He turned and walked toward the door, and just as his hand touched the doorknob, he heard Orion's voice behind him.

"Regulus".

He turned around.

Orion sat behind his desk, his hands on the armrests, his mouth opening and closing as if considering what to say, then he gave up: "Your mother—"

""

He recalled the gradually weakening struggle when he held down Walbuga's wrist last night, and how she had sat silently in the living room all day today; he sensed that she was somewhat different from before.

But he couldn't bring himself to say it; for over twenty years, they had never discussed these things between them.

He didn't say anything more.

Let the mother and son handle their own affairs. He doesn't need to relay messages from his wife to his son, nor does he need to explain things to his wife on behalf of his son.

Shifting blame is always a two-way street.

Orion looked away: "Go."

Regulus glanced at his father, nodded, and went out the door.

Back in his bedroom, Regulus went to his desk.

Baruch leaped from the corner of the table, his eight legs landing steadily on his shoulders, his chelicerae opening and closing with a click.

"We're going somewhere tomorrow," Regulus said.

Baruch gave his shoulder a light kick with his foreleg, then uttered two syllables: "...Awesome."

"Hmm, impressive."

Baruch was delighted. His eight legs moved rapidly, and he sprang up from his shoulder to his head, his claws grabbing onto his hair.

Regulus shook his head, but his hair was too slippery, and Baruch dared not grab it too hard. He fell down, but then he stuck out his buttocks and sprayed out spider silk to stick to his shoulders, swinging himself back.

It landed on my shoulder, its chelicerae still opening and closing, clicking and clicking, then it retracted its legs and lay down.

"Your head isn't your territory."

The next morning, Regulus got up early and was mostly recovered.

As the Star Orbit Meditation continued to operate, the fine cracks in the core area had been smoothed out.

I went downstairs for breakfast, and Leo Ryan was already at the head of the table in the restaurant, with a teacup and an open copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him.

Walbuga wasn't there; he probably hadn't gotten up yet. Sirius's seat was also empty.

Regulus sat down at the table and picked up a slice of bread, spreading butter on it.

Orion turned a page of the newspaper and said, "They're ready in Cornwall."

Regulus nodded.

After finishing the last bite, he placed the napkin next to the plate, went back to his room to get Baruch, and then Apparated out of the room.

Cornwall in winter.

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