Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

The squeezing sensation from Apparition was stronger than Regulus had anticipated.

Orion's magic enveloped him steadily, like traveling rapidly through a narrow rubber tube, his internal organs were briefly compressed, and then suddenly he felt clear.

When their feet touched the ground, the Malfoy family's castle stood before them.

Moonlight spilled onto the ivory-white stone walls, giving them a cold, gleaming sheen. The pointed roof pierced the night sky, and the garden outside the walls was meticulously manicured, with magic lanterns lighting up one after another along the path.

The castle gates opened, and two neatly dressed house-elves bowed to greet them, their collars embroidered with the Malfoy family crest.

The air was filled with the mixed aromas of champagne, roasted chestnuts, and magical spices, while the distant sound of string music, deep and melodious, suited the style of a pure-blood family banquet.

"Quite a few people have come." Orion straightened his pure black robe, his fingertips brushing against the family brooch on his chest. "Follow me, speak less, observe more."

Regulus nodded, his gaze sweeping over the guest list at the entrance, on which the surnames of various families were embroidered in gold thread.

Lestrange, Carroll, Nott, Yaxley, Cuthbert, Travers, Gore, Crabbe...

These were all families from the Twenty-Eight Sacred Clans whose stance leaned towards Voldemort, along with a few representatives from neutral pure-blood families, clearly there to observe the situation.

Stepping into the main hall, the marble floor is polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the magical reliefs on the columns on both sides.

The relief depicts scenes of successive Malfoy patriarchs making contracts with magical creatures such as dragons and griffins, with gilded edges.

The furniture in the hall is all made of dark walnut wood, with intricate scroll patterns carved on the armrests and chair backs. The cushions are made of silver-green velvet, which is cool and smooth to the touch, yet firm to the perfect degree.

In the corner stood a life-sized silver sculpture depicting the first Malfoy patriarch holding a wand. The diamond at the tip of the wand absorbed and refracted light, casting tiny, dappled patterns of light on the ground.

The hall was already filled with people, their robes mainly in silver-green, dark green, and deep red. The male witches held champagne glasses and talked in hushed tones, while the female witches swayed their skirts and occasionally let out a soft laugh.

People kept stopping to greet Orion along the way.

"Mr. Black, it's been a long time." A wizard with a mustache raised his glass; he was the current head of House Axley: "Regulus?"

"Yaxley," Orion nodded in response, then stepped aside to introduce, "Regles."

"A handsome young man." Yaxley's gaze lingered on Regulus for a moment, his face showing appreciation.

Regulus nodded politely: "Mr. Yaxley."

Further on, a short, stout wizard approached; it was Old Crabbe.

He is the current head of the Crabbe family. He has a seemingly honest smile on his face, but his small eyes hide shrewdness. He is the kind of person who always sides with the strong.

"Orion." Old Crabbe reached out and shook hands with Orion, his grip neither too tight nor too loose, carrying the politeness unique to pure-blood families.

Orion nodded slightly, his tone so flat it betrayed no emotion: "Crawb."

He stepped aside to let Regulus step forward, raising his chin slightly: "This is Regulus."

Pushing through the crowd, Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa stood in the center of the main hall greeting guests.

Lucius wore a well-tailored silver-green robe, and his blond hair was neatly combed.

He held a sapphire-encrusted wand in his hand, a reserved smile on his face, exuding confidence and radiating the current prosperity of the Malfoy family.

Narcissa stood beside him, wearing a white robe, her golden hair styled in an elegant updo, graceful and dignified, already befitting the mistress of the Malfoy family.

"Uncle Orion, Regulus," Narcissa spoke first, her voice gentle, her gaze lingering on Regulus for a moment.

"Lucius, Narcissa." Orion raised his hand and gently shook Lucius's hand. "How is your father?"

"Father is resting inside and will be out shortly." Lucius's gaze fell on Regulus: "Regulus."

"Mr. Malfoy," Regulus said politely.

Lucius shook hands with Regulus, his face beaming: "Call me Lucius. Narcissa often speaks of you, the finest Black."

"Lucius." Regulus readily agreed, smiling as he looked at Narcissa, "Cousin Narcissa."

"Regulus".

Lucius smiled and gestured to the side, "Please come in, champagne and snacks are ready."

On a raised platform to one side of the main hall, the string musicians continued to play, and the guests gathered in twos and threes, their conversation revolving around the changes in the Ministry of Magic, Voldemort's movements, and the exchange of interests among the various families.

Regulus followed Orion to a corner, accepted the champagne offered by the house-elf, and quickly scanned the room, memorizing everyone's expressions and positions.

This is what Orion taught him: social situations are intelligence arenas, and the truth lies in the details.

Not long after, a commotion arose, and Abraxas Malfoy appeared on the high platform.

He was much older than Orion, with some gray hair, but he was still very energetic. His silver-green robe was embroidered with intricate patterns, and the wand in his hand was said to have a core made from a phoenix feather, making it extremely powerful.

The conversation below the platform gradually subsided, and everyone's eyes turned to Abraxas.

"Thank you all for coming to Malfoy Manor tonight." Abraxas's voice was amplified by magic, steady and powerful, carrying the aura of a superior.

"The wizarding world is at a crossroads of change; the old order is crumbling and new forces are rising."

"Our pure-blooded family, possessing magic and resources passed down for millennia, should rightfully take the lead in this transformation."

His gaze swept across the entire room, as if he were weighing the importance of each person.

Some say this is a turbulent era, but I believe it is an era of opportunity.

The strong make the rules, the weak follow the rules, and we must be the ones who make the rules.

The glory of purebloods did not come from nowhere; it was earned by our ancestors with magic, wisdom, and blood. We have a responsibility to continue this glory and even elevate it to new heights.

"The weakness of the Ministry of Magic has allowed half-breeds and Muggle-borns to act with impunity, tainting the purity of wizards."

But now, a great wizard is guiding us to cleanse the filth and restore order.

As long as we contribute our respective strengths, nothing can stop us.

Abraxas's words, though not radical, were nonetheless emotionally manipulative, linking the interests of the pure-blood family to Voldemort's rise and appealing to the sentiments of most of those present.

Regulus watched Abraxas loudly appealing, but he was mostly unimpressed.

Abraxas was indeed powerful and shrewd, managing the Malfoy family to its zenith, but he overlooked Voldemort's controlling nature and narrow-mindedness.

The fact that the dragon plague and syphilis struck the Malfoys at the height of their power makes it hard not to suspect that Voldemort was involved.

An ally who is too powerful and difficult to control is never what Voldemort wants.

After the speech, applause rang out in the hall. Abraxas nodded slightly, stepped down from the platform, and was surrounded by a group of people.

The free time for socializing began, and the guests dispersed, regrouping into different small circles.

"Regulus." A familiar voice called out.

Regulus turned his head and saw Avery's father, the head of the Cuthbert family, leading Avery toward him.

Avery, dressed in a dark green robe, was a bit more reserved than at school, but when he saw Regulus, his eyes inevitably held a hint of affection.

"Mr. Black, Regulus," the Cuthbert family patriarch said with a beaming smile, "Avery owes a great debt to you at school."

"Mr. Cuthbert, you're too kind," Regulus replied.

"Regulus, see you at school." Avery's tone was deliberately aloof, clearly imitating an adult.

Regulus smiled. "See you at school."

Just as Avery and his son left, a warm voice rang out: "Regulus!"

Bella, dressed in a deep red robe, stood out with an air of arrogance, accompanied by Rodolphus Lestrange.

He was tall and had a serious expression, but his eyes held a fervor similar to Bella's.

The two are engaged and about to get married; both are Voldemort's most loyal followers.

"Cousin Bella, Mr. Lestrange," Regulus nodded reservedly, his tone not particularly enthusiastic.

"Look at the pride of the Black family!" Bella grabbed his arm, her grip tight, her eyes burning with fervor.

Bella raised her voice slightly, attracting several glances from those around her: "That lord has noticed you; this is an unparalleled honor!"

We, the Blake family, should stand at the forefront and serve the great cause!