Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Regulus looked at the undisguised fervor in Bella's eyes, but felt nothing.

For someone like Bella, kinship is meaningless; only shared goals and interests can maintain a relationship.

And this goal and benefit is to be loyal to Voldemort.

He echoed Bella's words, "My cousin is right. I will work hard to improve myself and live up to the expectations of the family and that person."

The positive feedback was just right, exactly what Bella expected.

Bella laughed even harder: "I knew you were the most sensible! Much better than that idiot Sirius!"

"When you're a little older, we'll work together for that man and show everyone how amazing Black and Lestrange are!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Bella and Rodolphus, Regulus took the opportunity to slip away.

He could feel that many eyes were on him. His performance at Hogwarts, coupled with the Black family's background, made him a potential asset to be courted at this banquet.

Now we also need to add Voldemort's attention.

Some people looked at him with genuine appreciation, some with calculating eyes, and some with subtle hostility, but all of these were within his expectations.

"Regulus," Lucius's voice came from behind him.

Regulus turned around: "Lucius."

"Want to talk privately?" Lucius gestured to the side and walked towards the terrace on the west side of the main hall.

Regulus nodded and followed. Narcissa had also come over at some point and stood next to Lucius, as if she were witnessing the conversation.

The breeze on the terrace was cool, lifting the hem of Narcissa's white robe, while the garden in the distance was serene under the moonlight.

Lucius leaned against the terrace railing, twirling his wine glass absentmindedly with his fingertips.

He glanced towards the main hall before speaking slowly, his tone carrying the distinctive Malfoy accent: "The champagne tonight is excellent; it's a vintage French import, specially sourced by my father."

Regulus stood opposite him, not responding, waiting for him to continue.

Lucius ignored his silence and continued, "But even the best things are only good for certain people. Some people are not worthy of it, and if they force themselves to drink it, they will only ruin the good stuff."

His gaze swept across Regulus's face: "You agree, don't you?"

"Making the best use of resources is the right thing to do," Regulus replied calmly, neither responding to his comment nor refusing to save face.

"That's exactly what I mean." Lucius chuckled softly, his tone still deliberate.

"Things have been turbulent lately. There are some people who are eager for quick success and instant benefits, and they can't wait to reveal all their assets, as if they are afraid that others will not know which side they are on."

The implication in these words couldn't be clearer: it implies that families like the Lestranges, who are fully committed to their roles, are also testing Black's limits.

"You should be aware of the current situation. That person's power is growing stronger and stronger. Many people in the Ministry of Magic have already expressed their stance. Our pure-blood family must make a choice."

"The Malfoys' choice is quite clear," Regulus replied.

Regulus looked up and continued, "The path is chosen by oneself. Some people like to take shortcuts, while others prefer to be more cautious."

"Yes, but choices vary in depth," Lucius said, looking at him.

Regulus's heart skipped a beat. Was this the Malfoy family's stance?

It sounds like I agree with Orion's ideas, but we can't be sure about the specifics yet; we can't just talk about it.

But that's all I can say for now, since I still have to make a living by Voldemort's side.

Regulus turned to look at the main hall, where Orion and Abraxas were talking, surrounded by a group of family heads.

"The Black family's stance, Father is making it clear, is that they support that lord and uphold the honor of the purebloods."

"Anyone can say what they mean by 'status'," Lucius shook his head.

Regulus glanced at Lucius, then turned his gaze to Narcissa, who was also looking at him.

He knew that Lucius was talking to him, an eleven-year-old first-grader, about these things because Narcissa was behind it, but that was exactly what he wanted.

Regulus suddenly smiled and extended his hand to Lucius.

Lucius was taken aback, then smiled, this time with more sincerity. He stepped forward, grasped Regulus's hand firmly, and shook it up and down.

"You're more mature than I imagined." Lucius looked at him with a hint of admiration in his eyes. "It's remarkable that you have such insight at eleven years old."

"You flatter me," Regulus replied with a smile.

Regulus responded verbally, but his mind was elsewhere.

Looking at the spirited Lucius before him, he couldn't help but imagine the scene more than twenty years later.

Malfoy Castle became Voldemort's stronghold, its stone walls splattered with blood, and its halls filled with the corpses of Death Eaters, a scene of wanton slaughter.

Lucius was stripped of his wand and knelt humbly before Voldemort, clinging to life for the sake of his family.

Everything he now possesses will no longer belong to him.

Life is unpredictable; the pinnacle of power and the abyss are often separated by only one step.

The Malfoy family is someone we can try to win over, but not now.

As long as Abraxas is alive, the Malfoy family still holds power, and Abraxas's death will be a landmark event.

That not only signifies a power transition within the Malfoy family, but could also be a signal that Voldemort is eliminating dissidents and consolidating his control.

Only when Lucius truly takes control of the Malfoy family and feels Voldemort's oppression will it be possible to achieve a deep cooperation with the Black family.

"What are you thinking about?" Lucius noticed his distraction.

Regulus snapped out of his reverie and looked at Narcissa again: "I was thinking about what to give my cousin as a wedding gift."

Upon hearing this, Narcissa's smile was like a white rose touched by a warm breeze, instantly spreading a genuine warmth.

"You're quite thoughtful." She gently touched the corner of her lips with her fingertips, her smile carrying a hint of girlish shyness, yet retaining the poise of a noble lady.

"Lucius and I are not in a rush to set a wedding date."

Lucius glanced at her, a gentle smile playing in his eyes.

He then glanced between Narcissa and Regulus, nodding to Regulus: "It is our honor that the Black family is here."

Regulus didn't look at him, but at Narcissa, his tone much gentler: "Of course, my relationship with my cousin has always been very good."

Upon hearing this, Lucius paused, his fingers stroking the rim of the glass, and then chuckled softly.

Narcissa understood, and her smile deepened: "Once the invitations are finalized, I will personally deliver them to the old house."

......

Upon returning to the main hall, Regulus became the social center of attention.

Cantantalus Nott led his son slowly forward. The old Nott wore a dark black robe with a fine silver-grey family crest embroidered on the collar. His eyes were sharp, and he exuded an air of authority.

He is the suspected author of "The Pureblood Register," and his obsession with blood purity runs deep.

Nott the Younger harbored a subtle hostility toward Regulus, but dared not show it.

Regulus remembered him; it was this guy who had questioned his position when the two houses clashed over Quidditch.

Signas Rozier approached with his daughter, his smile gentle and his demeanor elegant. The subtle pattern on his robe was the Rozier family's signature thorn motif, exuding understated luxury.

Among these people, some genuinely wanted to make friends, some were showing goodwill for the sake of their family's interests, and some harbored hidden malice.

Regulus could clearly sense that there was a wizard with a kind smile, who held his hand gently.

But Regulus could sense the malice mixed in with his magic, almost overflowing, like poison that couldn't be hidden.

Such people are either stupid or incompetent.

A truly skilled wizard can perfectly conceal his emotions and thoughts, greeting you with a smile on his face while stabbing you in the back with a fatal blow.

People who can't even hide their malice won't amount to much; they just need to be watched closely, not taken seriously.

Just then, a more obvious malice came, but it posed no threat at all.

Regulus followed his senses and saw Alger Travers standing not far away, holding a champagne glass and staring at him with a livid face.

Regulus met his gaze, his eyes calm, even carrying a hint of provocation.

The people talking around him noticed something was wrong and followed his gaze. They instantly understood what was going on. The conflict between Travers and Regulus was no secret in the pureblood community.

The head of the Nott family coughed lightly, his tone clearly biased: "Travers family brat, why are you just standing there?"

A junior member of the Yaxley family scoffed, "They probably haven't recovered from what happened at Hogwarts yet."

All eyes turned to Alger Travers, filled with mockery and ridicule.

Alger's face flushed instantly, his hand holding the champagne glass trembled slightly, and he wanted to lash out, but was pulled back by his father beside him.

The Travers patriarch looked grim. He gave a weak nod in Regulus's direction before forcibly pulling Alger away.

Looking at Alger's disheveled figure, Regulus found it somewhat amusing.