Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Regulus's perceptive talent was innate.

The pale silver trails left by the flow of magic, the ripple-like folds created when space was forcibly distorted, and the magical light spots that flickered at the edges of the pried-open cracks.

All these things that are not usually visible appeared one by one in that brief moment.

He knew that his perception had improved.

At first, he could only sense the presence of magic, then he could perceive the emotions and states of plants, and now he can even capture the vague outlines of changes in space.

Although it is still blurry, and you can only see the general shape and direction of movement, it has indeed appeared from nothing.

This may mean a lot.

He can control his magic more precisely when casting spells, and he can detect the trajectory of spells earlier when facing attacks.

He was able to understand more deeply what magic actually changed and how it changed.

"I'll try again," Regulus said.

Orion stepped back to the door, crossed his arms, and gestured for him to leave.

Then came the second, the third, and the fourth time.

Each time I cast the spell, the feeling is a little clearer than the last.

The feeling of resistance when space is pried open, the trace left when magic forcibly tears space apart, the awkward and uncomfortable feeling of the body being squeezed and then released.

He gradually adapted to this rough way of moving, and could even adjust his breathing the moment the feeling of pressure appeared, making the whole process a little smoother.

As the fifth Apparition ended, Orion said, "That's enough for today. Continuing to train any longer will cause problems. It's easiest to split when your mind can't hold on."

Regulus stopped what he was doing. His spirit was strong and he was not yet tired, but he readily accepted the advice and digested what he had learned.

"Continuous Apparition is very taxing." Orion walked to his side and pressed his shoulder: "Don't do more than ten times a day at first, and wait until you get used to it."

"clear."

Regulus was thinking about what he had just seen.

Space is like a flexible membrane, and Apparition is simply punching a hole in this membrane and passing through it.

What if we try a different approach?

Instead of making a hole, let the membrane sink in on its own, forming a slide to slide through?

Or go even further and let the membrane actively pass him from one end to the other?

Orion reactivated the Anti-Apparition Charm in the training room.

Regulus could clearly sense the changes around him this time; an invisible wall had closed in.

He called out to Orion, who was about to leave, "I'll try again."

Orion raised an eyebrow slightly and nodded upon hearing this.

The Anti-Apparition Charm has been reapplied; Apparition will not succeed, and there is no risk.

Regulus raised his wand, his target still the stone platform.

"Apparition!"

Magic began to surge, and a familiar squeezing sensation appeared, but nothing followed.

The space wasn't pried open; the invisible wall blocked the way, as hard as real rock.

It was as if he were pushing a solid stone wall, using all his strength, but the wall did not budge.

The magic rebounded and traveled back to the arm along the wand.

Regulus staggered back half a step, quickly regaining his balance. The force of the impact was considerable, and his wrist was slightly numb from the shock.

But he saw clearly that the Anti-Apparition Charm was like a densely woven net of magic, completely covering the entire space.

Apparition needs to tear through this net to pass, but the net is too strong and too tough; with his current strength, he simply cannot tear it.

So here's the question: how do house-elves do that?

Regulus recalled the day on Christmas Day when Kreacher took him from King's Cross Station back to Place Grimmauld.

There was no squeezing, no tearing, no suffocating feeling of being stuffed into a tube; it was as if space itself had made way for them, and they were simply walking along that path.

"Father," Regulus turned to Orion, putting away his wand, "the spatial magic of house-elves isn't the same as Apparition, is it?"

Orion was visibly taken aback by the question; he had never thought about it before.

He frowned and pondered for a few seconds before speaking hesitantly: "The magic of the elves... is indeed quite different."

They don't use wands; many of their spells seem to be innate, requiring no learning.

Apparition is a skill that wizards need to practice; for them, it's probably as natural as walking.

"They can pass through the Anti-Apparition Charm," Regulus stated.

"Yes." Orion nodded in confirmation.

"Why?" Regulus pressed.

Orion remained silent for an even longer time this time. He walked to the wall of the training room, ran his fingers over the runes carved on the stone wall, and finally shook his head.

"No wizard has studied this; most wizards don't pay much attention to elf magic."

Regulus knew that the "majority" he was referring to was actually almost the entirety.

Wizards have long been accustomed to the existence of house-elves. They can use magic, clean, cook, and take care of children—how convenient and useful they are!

But nobody asks them how they did it; as long as it works, who cares about the underlying principles?

This is arrogance ingrained in one's very being.

For thousands of years, wizards have stood at the top of the magical food chain, looking down on other races with a subtle sense of superiority.

Fairies can make coins, centaurs can observe the stars, giants are strong, but wizards have wisdom, civilization, and a magical system passed down through generations.

As for house-elves?

She only knows a few household magic tricks; nothing to brag about.

Regulus knew perfectly well the cave where Voldemort hid the Horcruxes; even Dumbledore couldn't Apparate directly into it, and had to cross the Lake of the Dead by boat.

But Kreacher's ability to come and go as he pleased is something that cannot be explained by any kind of household magic.

"Kreacher," Regulus called softly.

Without a sound, the house-pom appeared in the corner of the training room, still wearing the dirty tea towel and holding a rag in its hand, clearly having just been cleaning something.

"Is the young master called Kreacher?" Kreacher's eyes darted back and forth between Regulus and Orion, his ears twitching nervously.

"Take me through this space once," Regulus ordered, "from here to the foyer, and then bring me back."

Kreacher looked at Orion with a questioning and requesting look in his eyes, and Orion nodded: "Do as he says."

Kreacher then extended his withered hand, his skin wrinkled and his fingernails still covered in dust.

This time, Regulus focused all his attention on perception.

He was absolutely certain there was no squeezing, no tearing, and not even that obvious magical fluctuation.

He only felt the space around him ripple like water, forming a soft and almost imperceptible distortion around him and Kreacher.

Then, they were already standing in the foyer.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, crackling loudly. The portraits on the wall all turned their heads, some yawning, some frowning, and a few huddled together whispering.

Regulus stood still, having seen it clearly.

The space itself folded up and passed him from one end to the other.

Just like folding a piece of paper, two points on the paper are originally far apart, but when you fold the paper, the two points stick together.

No wonder it could pass through the Anti-Apparition Spell.

That magic net protects against tearing and penetration, but it can't prevent folding.

The net is still there, intact, but the path no longer goes through the net; instead, it goes directly around underneath it.

"Go back," Regulus continued to instruct.

Kreacher then took him back to the training room.

Orion was still waiting in the same spot, looking at him: "You felt it?"

"Completely different," Regulus said, as he mentally processed every detail he had just sensed.

"Apparition is about forcing your way in; if you can't break down a door, you just smash a hole in the wall with brute force. The sprites take a detour; the wall is still there, but they dig a tunnel under it."

"A detour?" Orion frowned. "How can space involve a detour?"

"Space can fold," Regulus tried to explain, but he realized it was difficult to describe such a thing in words.

"It's like two cities on a map that are far apart, but if you fold the map, the two cities will be next to each other."

Orion pondered these words carefully, his fingers tapping lightly on the handle of his wand.

After a long while, he still shook his head: "I can't imagine it, but since you can feel it, remember this feeling well. Magic perception is your talent, and it will be a great advantage."

Regulus nodded, knowing that the wizard lacked understanding of abstract concepts, but he was thinking something else entirely.

If he could learn this method of folding space...

Even if you don't fully learn it, the magic of house-elves may be related to their racial characteristics, and wizards may not be able to completely replicate it.

But as long as you understand the principle, even if you can only imitate a tiny bit of it—