Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Regulus suddenly thought of Snape; his Patronus must have been hidden, otherwise he wouldn't have let the Patronus guide Harry Potter to find the Gryffindor sword.

That was meant to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. If Snape had already exposed his Patronus, and if any member of the main group were caught, Snape would be doomed.

Orion changed the subject and continued, "Of course, if it's really necessary, then we'll use it."

"We can't put ourselves in danger just to hide our abilities, but one thing is certain: when it's time to use them, it's best to keep those extraordinary features hidden."

He pointed to the Starry Sky Kite: "Make it look like an ordinary falcon, with a similar shape, but with its wings folded up, the starlight hidden, and its eyes a darker color."

The eagle is also good, symbolizing wisdom and strength, and it suits you well; most people can't tell the difference.

Regulus tested it and found that it was indeed possible.

While the form of the guardian deity is fixed, some details can be adjusted, and the intensity of the light can be controlled, making the Starry Sky Kite look like a silver-white eagle, which is entirely feasible.

"I understand," Regulus nodded earnestly in agreement.

Orion breathed a sigh of relief; he trusted his son's judgment.

Regulus turned his attention back to the Starry Kite. As he looked at the silver bird, another thought flashed through his mind: he and the Animagus might not be meant to be.

The animal form that Animagus transforms into often matches or resembles the guardian deity of a wizard.

His guardian deity is the Starry Sky Kite, a legendary magical creature that obviously cannot be transformed into.

This means that when he tries to learn Animagus later, he will either fail or become something else.

But on second thought, it's not really worth regretting.

While Animagus is useful, it is not essential; with the Guardian Deity present, many functions can be replaced.

Moreover, the guardian spirit is a pure embodiment of positive energy, unlike the Animagus which is at risk of being influenced by animal instincts.

Even Animagus training requires a lot of time, is too unpredictable, and relies too much on weather and luck; a slight mistake means starting all over again.

Besides, what's so good about turning into an animal? Even if he wanted to turn into an animal, why didn't he use a human body to transform?

Animagus, we're better off without it!

Regulus waved his wand gently, and the Starry Sky Kite turned into silver specks of light and disappeared, leaving behind a lingering, warm, starlight-like aura in the air.

He remembered the feelings he had today: the emotion of watching the sunset from the cliff, the joy of magic flowing with his emotions, and the deep resonance from the depths of his soul when he summoned his guardian angel.

These feelings will not change his path; he will continue to calculate rationally, plan carefully, and pursue strength as his fundamental goal.

But some things are indeed different now; magic is not just a tool, but also a part of his life.

The world is worth appreciating and experiencing, and he himself is a living, breathing person who can be moved, yearn for, and feel joy in beautiful things.

This is good.

The key was used to return to number 12 Grimmauld Place.

The old teapot lid carried them through the swirling colors and sounds, finally settling in the foyer of Black's old house, where Kreacher was already waiting, holding a hot towel and hot tea.

"Welcome back, Master, Little Master."

Orion took the towel and wiped his face, then said to Regulus, "Tomorrow is the last day. Go to Knockturn Alley to collect the debts. Get some rest today."

Regulus nodded and went upstairs to his room.

He stood by the window, looking at the London night view. Compared to the grandeur of the Irish coast, the scenery here was much more ordinary: streets, houses, streetlights, and the occasional passing car.

Today's experience was like injecting the first splash of color into his otherwise black, white, and gray world.

Although it was just a brief stroke, it was enough for him to know that the world is vast, beautiful, and worth seeing.

He has enough time and enough determination to reach a high enough place and see enough scenery.

......

On the last day of the Christmas holidays, with only a lingering festive atmosphere, Orion led Regulus to the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

Unlike the neat brick wall of Diagon Alley, the entrance to Flipped Alley is sandwiched between two crooked buildings.

The walls were stained a dark brown with unidentified stains, and the air was filled with a smell that was a mixture of rotting mold and some kind of pungent medicine.

Regulus followed his father into the alley, and the light dimmed instantly.

The walls on both sides of the alley were damp and sticky, even without touching them with your fingers.

Several dilapidated oil lamps hung overhead, their flames flickering a pale green light inside the glass shades, casting long, distorted shadows.

The ground beneath our feet was uneven, with puddles of varying depths, and a layer of colorful, oily film floating on the surface.

After walking about twenty steps, the passage suddenly opened up, and the Overturned Alley appeared before us.

This place is a completely different world from Diagon Alley, as if you have suddenly come from a civilized place to a chaotic place.

The buildings on both sides are crooked and squeezed together, and the walls are covered with dark moss.

Most of the windows were boarded up, and a few glass windows had heavy black curtains hanging behind them, making it impossible to see what was inside.

The alley was very narrow, barely wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side, and the road surface was piled with all sorts of miscellaneous items.

Damaged wooden crates, scattered sacks, rusted iron barrels, and even several animal skeletons whose origins were unrecognizable.

The area was sparsely populated, and everyone was dressed in dark robes with their hoods pulled low. They walked quickly, trying to stay close to the walls and avoid eye contact with anyone.

Regulus's perceptive abilities became exceptionally sensitive in this environment; he could sense the magical fluctuations emanating from the surrounding shops and pedestrians.

Most of them are murky, chaotic, and filled with fragments of negative emotions.

He felt it was a bit absurd.

Only by truly standing in this alley can one experience the dark side of the magical world.

The descriptions of the black magic trade and the circulation of illegal goods are far too simplistic; every brick, every inch of air, and every corner here is permeated with an atmosphere of chaos and depravity.

The only rule is strength; whoever is strong gets to speak, and whoever is weak disappears.

If someone dies here, their body will likely be dragged away immediately and made full use of.

No one will ask, no one will care; it's just like a rabbit being eaten by a fox in the forest—it's the law of nature.

But what Regulus found truly absurd was that all of this was illegal under British magical law.

Everyone knows that Knockturn Alley is illegal; the Ministry of Magic knows, Wizengamor knows.

Even Muggle families with young wizards may have heard from their children that there is a terrible place next to Diagon Alley.

But Flip-Flop Alley still exists; it's been here for hundreds of years.

The Ministry of Magic, or rather the upper echelons of the wizarding world, almost universally acquiesced to this attitude.

On the one hand, they claim that the law is supreme and order is sacred, while on the other hand, they leave such a large area of ​​lawless territory next to the largest commercial district.

The law clearly states what can and cannot be done, but Flip Lane is there, like an open secret, a lie that everyone knows but no one exposes.

Openly and brazenly, without any attempt to conceal it.

A thought flashed through Regulus's mind: This must be politics.

The meaning of the law seems to be merely to declare that everything here is illegal, but that's all.

Statements are statements, and actions are actions.

Regulus was well aware that Knockturn Alley existed because it had a reason to exist.

Pure-blood families need this place to handle some shady business, and dark wizards need it to obtain resources and intelligence.

The Ministry of Magic needs a place like this to centrally manage those difficult people and things, stuffing them all into Knockturn Alley so they can be out of sight and out of mind.

It can only be said that Britain has its own national circumstances.

But none of this concerns Regulus.

As a wizard and the heir to the Black family, he would also need Knockturn Alley to exist.

Or rather, everyone needs it to exist.

Purebloods need it, half-bloods need it, the Ministry of Magic needs it, and even those white wizards who claim to be righteous might need it.

There has to be a place to handle those inconvenient things.

This is another ecosystem in the wizarding world, another side of order.

Light and darkness are never clearly distinct; more often than not, they are interdependent and permeate each other.

Flip-Over Alley is the shadow of Diagon Alley; without a shadow, the existence of light is meaningless.

In short, if something exists, there must be a reason for it.

At this moment, Orion stopped and turned to Regulus, whispering, "Here, just look, don't speak, and don't touch anything."

Everything you see may be cursed, every patch of ground you walk on may be etched with traps, and every person you meet may harbor malice.

He emphasized calmly, "Tumble Lane is the other side of order. There's only one rule here: survive. Everything else is nonsense."

Regulus nodded.