Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

Lucretius wisely turned and left, closing the office door behind him quietly without making a sound.

Slughorn gestured for Regulus to sit down, then leaned forward to close the distance.

The firelight from the fireplace reflected on his round face, making his usually shrewd eyes appear gentler.

"You are so mature for your age, I have never treated you as an ordinary student."

His tone was sincere, and his eyes were full of admiration: "Your talent in potions, your talent in magic, and your composure are all far beyond those of ordinary people. You are bound to have a great future."

Regulus nodded and politely thanked him, "Thank you, Professor."

"If you ever encounter any problems you can't solve in the future, feel free to come to me." Slughorn smiled smugly and began to list his connections.

"I know quite a few people, including high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic, such as several deputy ministers in the Department of Law Enforcement."

"Or the elders of each family, like Abraxas of the Malfoy family, or Old Nott of the Nott family, they can all say a few words to me if I ask."

He continued, "Even rare potion ingredients, such as phoenix tail feathers, octopus spider venom, or some obscure magical knowledge, I can help you find the way."

Last year, a student wanted to study ancient magical script but couldn't find any relevant ancient texts. In the end, I got them for him through a friend in the Egyptian magical community.

Regulus's heart skipped a beat. Professor Slughorn was like an invisible net, entrenched at the center of the magical world, capable of influencing the interests of all parties.

Moreover, the professor genuinely didn't treat him like a child, actually saying these things to him, which clearly shows that his understanding of him extends beyond the school.

"If needed, I won't hesitate, Professor," Regulus said with gratitude.

He knew that he had always been part of Professor Slughorn's collecting obsession.

It's acceptable, but you must be careful not to make yourself the subject of gossip or leak information.

Slughorn chuckled and said "okay," then changed the subject back to potions, his tone becoming serious.

"Your talent for potion making is excellent. Your mastery of materials, control of heat, and application of magic far surpass those of your peers. Even older students may not be able to match you."

The euphoria potion you concocted last time was of S-grade purity and effectiveness. In all my years of teaching, this is the first time I've seen a first-year student achieve something like that.

He then changed the subject, his eyes displaying the seriousness of a potions master: "But this is only an advantage at this stage."

Most of the potions you can make now have fixed recipes and procedures. As long as you are careful and focused enough, you can make them well.

But a true potion master needs creativity and inspiration; the ability to improve formulas based on actual situations, and even create new potions.

For example, if a patient with special needs is unable to respond to conventional potions, the formula needs to be adjusted temporarily.

Or, when faced with scarce materials, finding alternatives that don't affect the results—you still have a long way to go in this area.

Regulus was somewhat surprised, not expecting the professor to see through this.

His potion-making skills truly benefited from his powerful magical perception, allowing him to accurately sense the magical state and flow of materials and to strictly control the details of every step.

However, they lack that flash of inspiration and creativity, unable to imbue potions with something almost spiritual, like a true potion master.

The professor's discovery of this fact is a testament to his status as a Potions Master.

"I will try my best," Regulus said sincerely. "If needed in the future, I may really have to trouble the professor."

Slughorn nodded in satisfaction, waved his hand, and his tone softened again: "Go ahead, do your best, I have high hopes for you."

Then, he added meaningfully, "Hogwarts needs a talented and composed student like you, and the wizarding world needs you too."

Regulus got up to say goodbye, and when he walked out of the potions office, the corridor was already somewhat dim.

The torchlight gradually dimmed, and most of the portraits on the wall were fast asleep, except for one portrait of an old wizard who was still dozing off, muttering to himself.

He walked down the corridor toward the Slytherin common room, and as he opened the door, he saw Narcissa and two other seventh-year girls sitting around the fireplace.

Narcissa, dressed in a long silver dress with tiny Black family crests embroidered on the hem, leaned gracefully against the sofa.

She held a cup of hot drink in her hand, with tiny water droplets condensing on the inside of the cup.

The other two girls were sitting opposite her.

One was wearing a dark blue robe, and the other was wearing a dark purple robe.

The group was talking in hushed tones, occasionally letting out soft laughter, their voices gentle and befitting the dignity of a pure-blood witch.

Upon seeing Regulus enter, Narcissa immediately stood up and said to the other two girls, "Let's talk again next time." They tactfully took their leave, nodding to Regulus as they departed.

"Just got back from the professor's office?" Narcissa led Regulus to sit down on the sofa, then sat down next to him.

She glanced at him, her tone concerned, "Did things at Hogsmeade affect you today?"

Regulus relaxed a bit, his tone becoming more friendly. He shook his head: "He's just a dark wizard with no real skills. Even if the Aurors hadn't come, I would have been fine."

Narcissa smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners: "I knew you were amazing."

"Father said that the Ministry of Magic has established a Special Office for the Examination of Dark Magic Items, headed by Barty Crouch," Regulus said, bringing up the important matter with a calmer tone.

"Today I went to the Burkin-Bock store. The Burkin family wants to cooperate with us, exchanging a few high-risk items for our support in Wissengamo for the next three years."

This includes biases during legislative voting, early warnings before expanded censorship, and, when necessary, endorsements through hearings.

He didn't hide it; Narcissa was a member of the Black family, and soon to be a member of the Malfoy family, and she would find out sooner or later.

"My father told me to observe the situation first, and that he would make the final decision."

Narcissa nodded, her smile fading slightly: "Lucius also told me that things are tense outside, and many plans have to be put on hold for observation. Barty Crouch is too tough and doesn't show any mercy."

She picked up her hot drink and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat, making her relax a little.

"There's a rumor that someone in the Ministry of Magic wants to target that person, but it would be too late to act now..."

She shook her head, not finishing her sentence, but the meaning was clear: the hardliners, or radicals, in the Ministry of Magic wanted to limit Voldemort's expansion, but they probably couldn't.

Regulus didn't reply, but he was thinking to himself that if he didn't act now, Voldemort's power would be fully grown in a few years, and the Ministry of Magic probably wouldn't have the guts to do it.

At that point, the situation will become even more difficult, and the Ministry of Magic will be unable to withstand the pressure, requiring Dumbledore to step in and raise the flag.

The two chatted for a few more minutes about trivial matters, and Narcissa asked about his progress in school, to which Regulus gave a brief reply.

The text mentions Professor Flitwick's advanced spell workshop and Professor McGonagall's approval of his transfiguration abilities.

Narcissa listened attentively, nodding occasionally, her eyes filled with pride. This was her cousin, the future of the Black family; the more outstanding he was, the happier she would be.

Even within the Malfoy family, this would solidify her position; that's the effect of her maternal family.

After chatting for fifteen minutes, Regulus got up to say goodbye and went back to his dormitory.

Avery and Alex have returned and are sitting on their respective beds chatting.

"Next Hogsmeade Week, I'm going to get my family to write me a letter of consent!" Avery slapped his thigh, his face full of longing and his eyes shining with excitement.

"To actually encounter a black wizard kidnapping someone, this kind of thing only happens once in a lifetime, it's so exciting!"

"I want to go and see too. Maybe I'll run into an Auror and see firsthand how they capture dark wizards."

Alex, sitting on the bed next to him, frowned upon hearing this and said with concern, "Let's not do it, it's too dangerous."

Regulus was lucky this time; the Aurors arrived quickly. What if they encounter an even more powerful dark wizard next time, and the Aurors don't arrive in time?

"Danger is what makes things interesting!" Avery retorted. "Pure-bloods can't lose their dignity. What kind of person would you be if you ran away when things got tough?"

"So when I go out and talk about it later, everyone else has thrilling stories, but all I can say is that I drank butterbeer in Hogsmeade?"

He spoke toughly, but then added, "Of course, if you really encounter someone you can't beat, you should still run. Only a fool would fight head-on."

Alex was about to argue when he saw Regulus enter, so he immediately stopped and asked curiously, "Regulus, what would you have done if there hadn't been an Auror?"

Avery leaned closer, his body wedging between the two beds: "What spells can you use? Disarming spells? Or binding spells?"

I think the Cutting Charm is also good; it can directly break his wand, rendering him completely unable to fight!

Or perhaps we could use a thunderous explosion to create chaos and then seize the opportunity to escape?

He became more and more excited as he spoke: "I think the thunderous explosion is the most practical. It can both intimidate the opponent and create opportunities for yourself. It's simply perfect!"

Read Chapter 91, "A Part of PLAY," now to begin your exciting day.