Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

The first few days of Hogsmeade were peaceful. Regulus went to class as usual, practiced magic at the Room of Requirement, went to the library, and visited the forbidden section.

The error of spatial warp was reduced to thirty centimeters, the number of spatial anchor points remained the same, but the duration was extended.

The fifth star of Star Orbit Meditation is still in preparation, but the four-star system is operating more smoothly.

On Friday night, he received Orion's second letter.

Regulus:

Preliminary communication has been held with Old Burke, and the Ministry of Magic's review will focus on large-scale cursed items and powerful, lethal dark magic tools.

There are several sensitive items in the Bock family's inventory that need to be dealt with before the investigation is expanded.

When you go to see it, old Burke might show one or two items to test whether the Black family is interested in taking over or providing a safekeeping channel.

Remember: Observe, do not touch, and do not make promises.

I will discuss the specific terms with the Boke family in detail.

Additionally, there have been three recent clashes between black wizards in Knockturn Alley, involving the theft of items.

The Auror office has increased patrols, but the effect is limited. Be vigilant when you go there.

Massive cursed items and potent, lethal dark magic items are both strictly prohibited by the Ministry of Magic.

The Burke family wanted to sell the property and asked the Black family to act as intermediaries or custodians.

The specifics of what to do were decided by the father; he merely observed and relayed signals.

Regulus lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

The Star Track Meditation operates automatically, with four stars rotating deep within the consciousness.

The faint light at Betelgeuse's position is still weak, but it continues to shine, like the light of a distant lighthouse—impossible to reach for the time being, yet it can guide the way.

The will to protect.

He hasn't figured out exactly what he wants to protect, but at least he knows what he doesn't want to lose.

......

On the second Saturday of February, at seven o'clock in the morning, Hogwarts Great Hall was noisier than usual.

Students in the third grade and above gathered around a long table to discuss the itinerary, exchange gallons, and check their travel permit forms.

The first and second graders sat in their seats, their eyes following the older students, their faces filled with longing.

After finishing his breakfast, Regulus got up and headed towards the castle gate.

The corridor was crowded with people. Peeves floated overhead, grabbed a handful of chalk and threw it at the crowd, only to be sternly stopped by Filch who was passing by.

Several Gryffindor students ran past, nearly bumping into Regulus. After recognizing him, some apologized, while others provoked him, but were pulled away by their companions.

A blast of cold air hits you outside the castle gates.

The sky was leaden gray, the clouds hung low, and snow seemed about to fall but hadn't yet.

A thin layer of frost covered the ground, making a soft crunching sound when stepped on. People had already walked the path to Hogsmeade, and their footprints were clearly visible on the frost.

Regulus walked along the path, with students running past him from time to time, their laughter and conversations carrying far in the cold air.

When Hogsmeade came into view, he saw Lucretius Burke standing under the stone archway at the village entrance.

Lucretius wasn't wearing his school robes today; instead, he was wearing a dark green travel cloak with the Burke family crest pinned to his collar, along with crossed wands and keys, against a backdrop of open books.

Several Ravenclaw girls passing by saw him, whispered among themselves, and hurried past.

A Hufflepuff seventh-grade boy nodded to him, and Lucretius nodded slightly in response.

As Regulus approached, Lucretius turned around.

Good morning, Regulus.

Good morning, Lucretius.

After a brief greeting, the two walked together into Hogsmeade's main street.

The streets were lined with crooked, pointed-roofed houses, their roofs covered with a thin layer of snow, and white smoke billowing from their chimneys.

The shop sign swayed in the cold wind.

Honeydukes candy shop windows are piled high with colorful candy jars, the aroma of butterbeer and biscuits wafts from the entrance of Three Broomsticks bar, and crackling explosions and laughter echo from Joko's joke shop.

Lucretius slowed his pace, pointing as he went, to introduce Regulus.

Honeydukes, founded in 1935, started with a bloody lollipop by owner Ambrose Froome and now has a product line covering the whole of the UK.

He has a secret tasting room in his basement, open only to regular customers.

"Three brooms, the proprietress Rosmerta, whose husband died ten years ago and left her this bar. Here you can hear the latest rumors from the Ministry of Magic, and the price is a butterbeer and an ear."

"Device-Bans, a magic item shop, specializes in gadgets like spyglasses, memory balls, and anti-demon glasses. The quality is so-so, but they're good for gifts."

His tone was calm, as if he were a tour guide introducing a tourist attraction, able to recount the history of each shop, the people behind it, and its actual function.

Regulus listened quietly, his eyes scanning the street.

Hogsmeade is the only all-wizard village in England. Built in the Middle Ages, it was originally a refuge for wizards to escape persecution by Muggles, and later gradually developed into a commercial and social center.

This place retains the most traditional wizarding architectural style, the oldest wizarding business practices, and also hides the most complex network of interests.

Behind every shop stands a family, and each family has its own network and demands.

The Froome family of Honeydukes has close ties with the Ministry of Magic's Food Inspection Department, and Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks is an old acquaintance of the editor of the Daily Prophet.

The Barns family, including Devis Barnsley, holds a seat on the Hogwarts Board of Trustees.

Lucretius led him into a side alley and stopped in front of a gray stone house.

The house had no sign, the windows were boarded up, the door was made of heavy oak, and the door knocker was made of bronze snakes.

"The Burke family's property in Hogsmeade." Lucretius took out his key, opened the door, and explained, "Some transactions are not suitable to be conducted in public."

Inside the door was a simple living room with a cold fireplace, dusty furniture, and a musty smell from long-term neglect.

An old map of Hogsmeade hangs on the wall, its parchment yellowed and the ink blurred.

Lucretius walked to the fireplace, took a tin box from the inner pocket of his cloak, opened it, and found it contained bright green powder.

"Floo Powder." He grabbed a handful and sprinkled it into the fireplace, the flames instantly turning emerald green and hissing. "13B Knockturn Alley, Borgin-Bock Shop."

He walked into the flames, was engulfed by them, and then disappeared.

Regulus followed suit.

Spin, squeeze, color and sound blend together.

Floo travel is different from Apparition. Apparition is forcibly tearing through space to squeeze through, while Floo travel is sliding through a pre-set magical passage.

The former is crude and direct, while the latter is relatively mild, but is constrained by the network architecture.

The Spatial Anchor Charm can interfere with a single FlooNet connection point, but it cannot destroy the entire network.

With too many network nodes and a complex structure, the flow of magic is constantly changing, so the effect is limited unless multiple anchors are applied to the core nodes simultaneously.

Regulus pondered these thoughts as he spun around, then tumbled out of another fireplace three seconds later.

He steadied himself, brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked around the room.

The room was low, with cobwebs on the ceiling and dark brick walls stained with water.

The air smelled of dust, old parchment, and some kind of sweet preservative.

The shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with all sorts of strange items: shrunken heads, rusty shackles, eyeballs in jars, and black books that could turn pages on their own.

Behind the counter, a tall, thin male wizard looked up.

He was very old, with thinning hair, pale skin, deep-set eyes, and a sharp gaze.

She wore a long black robe, had long, slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails, and wore an obsidian ring on the index finger of her right hand.

"Karaktakus Burk," the wizard's voice was hoarse. "Call me Mr. Burk, or Old Burk."

"Regulus Black." Regulus nodded, but wondered to himself, "Not Borgin?"

Old Bock sized him up for a few seconds, a smile curving his lips.

"Orion's son." He stared at Regulus. "Your father came here when he was young, but that was twenty years ago."

He walked out from behind the counter, his footsteps silent.

"Borkin-Bock." Old Bock ran his finger along the edge of the counter: "Founded in 1832, a joint venture between the Borkin and Bock families."

We specialize in buying, appraising, and selling dark magic items. Among the thirteen similar shops in Knockturn Alley, we rank number one.

Regulus's eyes flickered slightly.

He had always thought that Borkin-Bock was the owner's name and also the name of the shop, but now he knows that it is a joint venture between two companies and the shop is called Borkin-Bock.

He knew the Borgin family, but he didn't realize that Borgin was the family name here.

Old Burk's full name is Karaktakus Burk, and he is the representative of House Burk. What about the members of House Borgin?

If they haven't appeared, they may have already withdrawn, or they may simply be a silent partner.

"Come with me." Old Burke walked deeper into the shelving. "Some things are in the warehouse."

Lucretius stood by the counter without moving, and wouldn't follow unless old Burke called him.

Regulus followed, passing through a door with a black curtain hanging over it, which led to a narrow corridor with wooden shelves nailed to the walls on both sides, filled with glass jars.

The jar contained various biological organs; the heart was beating slowly, green light was flashing on the surface of the brain, and the lungs were contracting and expanding in rhythm with breathing.

At the end of the corridor was an iron door. Old Bock chanted a spell, and the lock clicked open, revealing a warehouse inside.

It's twice the size of other shops, with higher ceilings and more neatly arranged shelves.

Items are categorized and stored in one area: curses, black magic, experimental records, and dangerous creature products.