Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

The Hogwarts Express arrived at the station at four o'clock in the afternoon.

Regulus stepped off the train with his suitcase. The platform was crowded with students returning to school, and the noise surged like a tide.

He walked with Avery and Alex to where the carriage was parked.

The carriage appeared to be moving on its own, with no animals pulling it in front, but Regulus knew that the Thestrals were there.

He can't see.

Only those who have witnessed death can see the Thestrals; Regulus had never seen anyone die.

So all he could see was the empty carriage shaft, and the carriage itself moving on the gravel road, the wheels making a creaking sound as they rolled over the surface.

This made him feel a little regretful.

Thestrals hold a special significance in magical texts.

They can fly, traverse storms and darkness, break through magical barriers, and are even said to be able to briefly travel through space.

More importantly, they represent a symbol that can only be seen by those who have faced death and accepted the truth of life.

This in itself may represent a metaphor: only by breaking through cognitive constraints and gaining a deeper understanding can we see what others cannot.

In the magical world, symbols and images are sometimes magic itself.

Regulus boarded the carriage, where several Slytherin students were already inside.

Avery started talking as soon as he sat down, deliberately raising his voice so that everyone in the carriage could hear him.

"You'd never guess what the Malfoy family's holiday gatherings are like." He had that knowing look on his face, like someone who knew a secret but couldn't say it outright, and his eyes were shining.

"We visited many families; it was a very grand affair. Lucius Malfoy personally received us, and Mr. Malfoy the Elder was also there, though he only made a brief appearance..."

Every word he said implied that I was involved in an important occasion.

As he spoke, he would occasionally glance at Regulus, as if seeking validation and showing off that he was on the same level as him.

Regulus listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

Hermes sat in the corner, saying nothing.

He looked more gloomy than before the holiday, his face was pale, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

He exuded an aura that told me to stay away.

Alex sat next to Regulus, listening to Avery's words, his face turning pale.

Although he didn't attend the party, being from a collateral branch of the Rozier family, he vaguely knew what the party represented.

The pureblood faction's allegiance, Voldemort's forces gathering.

He was terrified as he listened to Avery describe those details.

Regulus noticed that several older students in the carriage were looking at Avery with disdain.

But they didn't say anything, they just looked away and pretended to be looking at the scenery outside the window.

Regulus knew that it wasn't that they didn't want to talk, but that they were older and better at keeping things to themselves.

Privately, they might be even more talkative than Avery.

The carriage drove through the gates of Hogwarts, across the long driveway, and finally stopped in front of the castle. The students disembarked one after another and entered the brightly lit hall.

The opening banquet has begun.

The long table was laden with food, the ceiling was magically transformed into a starry sky, and candles floated in the air, casting a warm glow.

Dumbledore sat in the center of the teachers' table, his long, silvery beard gleaming in the candlelight.

Once all the students were seated, Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome back." His gentle yet loud voice echoed throughout the hall. "Did you have a good holiday? I hope you all got plenty of rest, because we have a lot of work to do now."

His gaze swept across the four long tables in the academy, and wherever his gaze fell, the area became quieter.

"Learning magic is not just about mastering spells," Dumbledore said, "but also about understanding our relationship with the world."

Why do we use magic? For what purpose? For whose benefit? I hope you will also think about these questions as you study.

He raised his glass: "To the new semester, to the pursuit of knowledge, to the things that make us better people, cheers!"

A chorus of "Cheers!" echoed through the hall. Regulus raised his pumpkin juice glass and took a sip.

Dumbledore's words were not subtle; his meaning was clear. He was reminding his students that magic had a more sublime purpose, not just for competitiveness or family honor.

He is sowing the seeds of ideas about kindness, justice, and responsibility.

Regulus quietly ate the roast chicken on his plate. He understood Dumbledore's position and respected his insistence.

But he has his own path to walk, a path that may not entirely align with Dumbledore's expectations, but that's alright.

Everyone must take responsibility for their own choices.

After the dinner, the students returned to their respective college's common room.

In the Slytherin common room, the silver-green decorations gleamed coldly in the fireplace firelight.

Narcissa was standing by the fireplace talking to a few seventh-grade girls when she saw Regulus come in, and she nodded.

Regulus walked over: "Cousin."

"Regulus," Narcissa smiled, "How was your holiday?"

"Not bad," Regulus said. "I met a lot of people and learned some new things."

They exchanged a few brief words, mostly superficial pleasantries.

At that moment, Lucretius Burke walked over.

The Slytherin prefect was dressed in a neat robe and wore a polite smile.

He first gave Narcissa a slight bow: "Excuse me, Narcissa, may I borrow Regulus for a moment?"

Narcissa nodded: "Of course."

Then she turned and left gracefully.

Lucretius led Regulus to a corner of the lounge, where it was relatively quiet.

"I saw you in Knockturn Alley during the holidays," Lucretius said bluntly, his voice deliberately lowered as if revealing a secret. "You were with your father, inspecting the shops."

Regulus nodded without saying anything. He hadn't been trying to hide it from people anyway, so it was normal for him to be seen.

"Next time you're here, feel free to stop by my shop," Lucretius invited. "It's called Borgin Burke, located at 13B Knockturn Alley. There are some things you might be interested in."

Regulus understood that the Burke family was extending goodwill, not to win them over. Given old Burke's abilities, they were probably trying to establish a good relationship.

Moreover, the Burke family is one of the largest dark magic item dealers in Knockturn Alley, so their shop must have a lot of good stuff.

"I'll go during the holidays," Regulus replied without hesitation.

Lucretius smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to leave.

Regulus stood there, a thought flashing through his mind: he wondered if the Vanishing Cabinet was still in Old Burke's shop.

Those cabinets that connect Hogwarts and Knockturn Alley will become important props in the future.

But it's still early; Draco Malfoy hasn't even been born yet.

He's not in a hurry.

It was almost 11 o'clock when I got back to the dormitory.

Avery was still excitedly telling Alex about his holiday experiences, although Alex clearly didn't want to listen.

Hermes had already drawn the bed curtains, from which faint and unstable magical fluctuations emanated. Regulus glanced at them; it was dark magic, but not that dark.

Regulus didn't participate in the conversation; after washing up, he went straight to bed.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the depths.

The star trail meditation began, and the four stars of Orion lit up in my mind. The silvery light outlined the constellation, and the magic circulated along the trajectory of the stars.

But today's feeling is different from usual. There is a faint throbbing pain deep in my consciousness, as if my brain is stuffed with too much stuff that hasn't been fully digested yet.

The pressure on his mind from receiving two inheritances in succession was greater than he had anticipated.

Natural magic involves understanding the essence of life, while spatial anchoring spells involve controlling the structure of space. Both are high-level magics that require a large amount of knowledge and precise control over magical power.

This information floods into consciousness like a torrent, and it takes time to absorb, understand, and integrate it.

Regulus could sense that acquiring a third inheritance now would most likely result in failure.

The mind is already nearing saturation. Forcibly absorbing more ancestral memories will, at best, cause information confusion and incomprehension, and at worst, damage the mind and disrupt memories.

Time intervals are necessary.

Our ancestors sealed their life's knowledge in crystals not so that their descendants could swallow it all at once.

That's like making someone eat a year's worth of food in one meal; it's no wonder they'd burst.

Inheritance requires digestion, practice, and transforming others' experiences into one's own understanding.

This process cannot be rushed.

Regulus adjusted the rhythm of his meditation, making the flow of magic gentler.

He no longer pursued rapid improvement, but focused on consolidating the existing foundation, making the four-star model more stable, the magic cycle smoother, and the mental barrier stronger.

Once he had fully recovered and had digested the natural magic and spatial anchoring spells, he tried to light up the fifth star of the Star Orbit Meditation.

That would be a new breakthrough, but that's for later. Right now, he needs to rest.

Regulus lay in the darkness, letting his consciousness slowly sink into the orbit of the stars.

The new semester has begun.