Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Avery pressed for details about what happened: "What did that dark wizard look like? Was he all sinister-looking? He dared to kidnap people even with his wand broken, he was insane!"

If it were me, I would definitely use a disarming charm on him right then and there, followed by a binding charm, so he'd be lying on the ground unable to move!

As he spoke with great enthusiasm, he gestured with his hands, mimicking the motion of waving a magic wand, and exerting force with his wrist to imitate the posture of casting a spell.

"This kind of scum deserves to be taught a lesson; the dignity of purebloods cannot be lost!"

Alex frowned and retorted in a low voice, "It's better to stay away from danger. If we really encounter that kind of situation, we should make sure we are safe first."

Dark wizards are capable of anything; there's no need to confront them head-on.

As he spoke, he subconsciously moved closer to Regulus, leaning forward slightly. "I've heard that some dark wizards use dark magic traps. Even if you subdue them, you might still fall victim to them. It's not worth the risk."

"Safety is important, of course, but we can't back down!" Avery slammed his hand on the table, drawing sidelong glances from several students nearby.

He deliberately raised his voice to state his opinion: "If you don't even have this much courage, how will you survive in the magical world?"

As heirs of pure-blood families, we can't let people think we're easy to mess with! Of course, if we encounter someone we can't beat, we should still run; only a fool would fight head-on.

As he spoke, he laughed first, his eyes revealing a youthful slyness.

Regulus did not participate in their argument and quietly ate his dinner.

The roasted chicken on the plate was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and tasted just right with a little sauce.

More and more eyes were drawn to him, some with curiosity, some with envy, and some with admiration.

For young wizards, experiencing the kidnapping by the dark wizard firsthand is thrilling enough, and it will likely be the focus of discussion for the next few days.

He caught a glimpse of movement at the Hufflepuff table out of the corner of his eye; Eleanor Burns stood up and was about to walk toward him.

Her light brown hair was tied in a loose bun, swaying gently with her movements, with a few fine downy hairs still clinging to the ends.

Her companion, Susan Payne, stood motionless, clutching her skirt with both hands, looking nervous and with a hint of timidity in her eyes, clearly hesitant to approach the Slytherin table.

While the house barriers at Hogwarts are not absolute, it is indeed rare for Hufflepuffs and Slytherins to voluntarily cross over to each other's tables.

Eleanor, however, paid no attention and walked straight toward them with a composed gait, her back ramrod straight, her face devoid of any superfluous expression, only magnanimity.

"Regulus." Eleanor stopped beside Regulus, her gaze sweeping over him as if to make sure he was unharmed, a fleeting look of concern in her eyes.

He then laughed and said, "I saw what happened today. You were very calm. If it were someone else, they probably would have panicked."

Her voice was clear and crisp, without any deliberate lowering, as she generously gave a thumbs up: "Pretty cool."

Regulus looked up at her and could feel the sincerity in her eyes.

He shifted to the side, making room for him, and lightly tapped the table with his fingertips: "Want to sit together?"

Eleanor shook her head, then turned and gestured with her chin toward Susan: "She's still waiting over there. I just came to check on things."

Her gaze fell on the plate in front of Regulus, and she added, "It's good that you're alright. Hogsmeade is supposed to be a relaxing place."

After saying that, she didn't linger. She turned around and walked back to the Hufflepuff table, her steps still composed, completely ignoring the strange looks coming from those around her.

The students at the Slytherin table exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise.

Several older students raised their eyebrows but didn't say much. It was quite rare for Hufflepuff students to take the initiative to talk to Slytherin students.

But the other party was Eleanor Burns, and the Burns family had a lot of influence in the Ministry of Magic, so no one was willing to bother with this.

Regulus's gaze swept across the Gryffindor table, where James Potter and Sirius were looking in their direction.

When James saw him looking over, he immediately looked away, muttering something to himself. Judging from his lip movements, he seemed to be saying, "If it were me, I could definitely turn the tables."

He frowned, a defiant look on his face, and secretly nudged Sirius with his elbow, as if seeking approval.

Sirius didn't look away; his gray eyes held a complex mix of emotions—curiosity, inquiry, and a hint of elusive concern.

Lily was also at the Gryffindor table, sitting at the back, gently stirring the pumpkin juice with a spoon.

Regulus noticed that she was looking at him and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

If you could only read one fantasy novel in your life, it would probably be "Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars".

However, she was not far from Sirius, and Sirius mistakenly thought that Regulus was greeting him. He was stunned for a moment, and a look of surprise flashed across his face.

He then awkwardly raised his hand and nodded symbolically, forcing a stiff smile at the corner of his mouth.

Just as Regulus was finishing his meal, Lucretius walked over, the hem of his dark green cloak sweeping across the ground.

Regulus understood; the professor must have guessed their whereabouts today.

Slughorn has extensive connections in the magical world and is very perceptive. It's easy to make connections when he and Lucretius are kidnapped at the same time.

He nodded, stood up, and the two of them walked out of the auditorium one after the other, heading down the corridor toward the potions office.

Knocking on the door of the potions office, Professor Slughorn was sitting in a large armchair, holding a glass of mead, which was still steaming slightly.

Seeing them come in, he immediately waved them warmly, his face beaming with a familiar smile: "Come in, kids! These syrup pies are freshly baked and still warm. Would you like to try some?"

I specifically asked the kitchen to keep some; it was made with fresh mistletoe juice, and it tasted very good.

Regulus and Lucretius exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.

Regulus stepped forward and stood politely in front of the desk, his posture impeccable: "Professor, did you need something from us?"

Slughorn put down his glass, his smile unchanged, but his eyes sharpened: "So, where did you two go today? Don't tell me you just wandered around Hogsmeade."

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound: "I know that there's more to your relationship than meets the eye."

"Lucretius, you are the heir to the Burke family, Regulus, you are the future of the Black family. There's no reason for you two to be hanging out together like this."

Slughorn has connections everywhere, from high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic to shop owners in Knockturn Alley; he knows everyone.

Perhaps just knowing that the two heirs are acting together tells us what it's about.

Regulus and Lucretius exchanged another glance. Lucretius spoke first, his tone calm and without the slightest hint of panic.

"There were some family matters to discuss, so we went to the Burke family's residence in Hogsmeade to talk about business collaborations."

Slughorn nodded, not pressing for details about family affairs; pure-blood families always kept their collaborations secret.

His tone softened slightly: "You weren't injured, were you? What happened?"

"No injury," Regulus replied. "The dark wizard's wand is broken; he's no threat. The Aurors will be here soon."

Slughorn listened, his fingers still tapping the table in the same rhythm, when suddenly he changed the subject, a sly glint in his eyes: "The smell of Knockturn Alley isn't easy to wash off."

Neither Regulus nor Lucretius spoke; they simply remained silent.

Slughorn looked at Lucretius with a hint of smugness in his eyes, as if he had discovered some secret: "You didn't change your clothes, did you?"

I smelled the scent of leaf salamanders. This potion ingredient is only sold in a few shops in Knockturn Alley; it's a core ingredient used to craft the Forgetfulness Enhancer, and it can't be found in ordinary places.

Lucretius's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly, acknowledging the fact: "I did go to Borgin-Bock to handle some final matters in the family business, and left quickly."

Slughorn sighed, his tone becoming serious, his eyes filled with genuine concern: "Lucrethius, you grew up in that environment and saw plenty of dark magic items, so I'm not worried."

But Regulus, it's too early for you to go to Knockturn Alley now.

He continued, "There are all sorts of people there: dark wizards, smugglers, werewolves. You can easily get into trouble if you're not careful."

I know you're doing this for family matters, but please be more careful in the future and try not to go to places like that alone. It's much safer to be accompanied by an elder.

Both of them listened respectfully without arguing.

Seeing this, Slughorn waved his hand and softened his tone: "Alright, you're not children anymore, you know what's right."

"Family responsibilities are important, but your own safety is even more crucial. Go ahead, and be careful in the future. If you encounter any problems you can't solve, feel free to come to me."

Regulus and Lucretius were about to turn and leave when Slughorn suddenly called out to Regulus: "Regulus, stay here. I have a few words I'd like to say to you alone."