HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Regulus nodded. "I'll go prepare the materials."

He left with a slightly lighter step.

After the door closed, Kevin let out a long sigh of relief and slumped back onto the sofa. "Merlin... I feel like I just planned a robbery of Gringotts."

"From the perspective of risk and consequences, the analogy is not an exaggeration." Aris rubbed his temples, showing a rare look of fatigue.

Ian walked over to Severus's workbench, casually placed his hand on the back of his neck, and gently massaged the tense muscles there with his fingertips. "The hardest part is yours."

Severus turned his head, his cheek brushing against his warm palm, and closed his eyes. "I know."

……

Regulus acted quickly, delivering all the materials to the Requirement House in just two days.

At the same time, he began his performance.

He spilled a half-finished swelling potion during Potions class, and during Defense Against the Dark Arts practice, he staggered with a pale face when faced with a simple Boggart manifestation, before being supported by his roommate.

He began to frequently appear in front of the bookshelves near the restricted section of the library. Although he didn't actually go inside, it was enough to spark speculation.

Slughorn had asked him twice with concern if he was feeling unwell, and Regulus could only manage a weak smile as he replied, "I'm a little tired, and the academic pressure is high."

The night the potion was finished was a moonless Thursday.

Severus handed Regulus a crystal tube, no thicker than a little finger, filled with a viscous, silvery-blue liquid.

"Oral administration. It will take effect within ten minutes of ingestion. I will also inscribe a temporary rune on it, which will amplify and stabilize the effects, and will automatically disappear after thirty-five days without leaving a trace."

Severus calmly outlined all the steps, but Ian, standing beside him, could see the tension in his eyes.

"Rune inscription also hurts," he added.

Regulus took the crystal tube, looked at the beautiful yet dangerous liquid, and then looked up, his gaze sweeping over every face in the room.

"On Saturday afternoon, at the Black family home, Kreacher had prepared the accident scene. By Sunday night, or at the latest Monday, the news should have spread."

"Okay." Ian nodded.

Regulus uncorked the crystal tube, tilted his head back, and drank the silvery-blue liquid in one gulp.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and then his face turned deathly pale. Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his body swayed uncontrollably.

Severus immediately went to help him up and made him sit in an armchair.

"Take a deep breath, try to stay awake, guide your magic, don't resist the effects of the medicine, let it... mimic that trauma."

Regulus gripped the armrest tightly, his knuckles turning white, his teeth clenched, and a muffled groan of pain escaped his throat.

Tiny, icy-blue specks of light began to seep uncontrollably from under his skin, only to vanish just as quickly.

His eyes began to lose focus, and his body convulsed slightly.

Ian knelt before him and took his other cold hand in his.

"Hold on, Regulus, remember that you must live, live freely."

Kevin turned his head away, unable to bear watching any longer.

Aris pursed his lips tightly, the edge of the notebook in his hand twisted out of shape.

About twenty minutes later, the violent attack gradually subsided.

Regulus was drenched in cold sweat as if he had been pulled out of the water. He slumped weakly in the chair, his face an ominous ashen. Only his eyes remained open, filled with emptiness and exhaustion from the tears that had washed away his physical exhaustion.

"...Are you alright?" Ian asked in a low voice.

Regulus nodded very slowly, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible: "...like being... hollowed out."

"This is just the beginning." Severus had already prepared the silver needles for inscribing runes and the special magic potion. "Take off your left sleeve. The rune needs to be drawn near your shoulder. Normally, it will be covered by clothing and leave some marks, but they will disappear after the effects of the potion wear off."

Regulus did as he was told.

Severus's hand was steady as the silver needle, dipped in the medicine, fell, leaving subtle stings and icy blue fluorescent lines on the pale skin along a complex and precise trajectory.

Regulus trembled, bit his lower lip, and remained silent.

As the runes were completed, the lines flickered a few times before quietly disappearing beneath the skin, leaving only a red mark resembling a bruise.

"Alright." Severus put away his tools, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. "Go back and rest, try to look tired. Saturday, proceed as planned."

Saturday afternoon, the sky was overcast.

Ian and Severus were in an empty classroom in the tower, from which they could see part of the path leading to the Owl's Hut.

They appeared to be studying, but in reality, they were restless.

Kevin and Aris were in the common room, keeping an eye out for any unusual noises.

Time passed by, each second seemingly stretched out.

As evening fell, a familiar barn owl fluttered through the increasingly dense rain and landed on the classroom windowsill, a crumpled little paper roll tied to its leg.

Ian immediately got up, took it, and unfolded it.

Above are the words that Kreacher wrote in a crooked but clear hand:

"The little master is injured, bleeding, and has fainted. Kreacher found out and called for help. The mistress is crying, the master is angry, and called for a healer. There are many noises. The little master is trembling and talking nonsense. Everything has been arranged."

The roll of paper was clenched tightly in Ian's palm, then slowly loosened.

He looked at Severus, whose dark eyes reflected the dim light of the day outside the window.

"here we go."

On Sunday, the news spread rapidly through Hogwarts and its network of connected pure-blood families, like ink drops in water.

Regulus Black, the youngest son of the Black family, was conducting dangerous private magical research at the family mansion, attempting to make a breakthrough in the field of soul magic. As a result, he suffered a severe backlash, his soul was damaged, and he is currently in a coma. St. Mungo's healers have intervened.

Professor Slughorn received the official notification from the Black family at Monday breakfast. The old professor was shocked and heartbroken, muttering, "A talented child, too hasty... How can the realm of the soul be treated so lightly..."

Lily found Ian and Severus at lunchtime, her green eyes filled with worry: "Have you heard? Regarding Regulus, Madam Pomfrey said the news from St. Mungo's is very bad. It's a real soul injury, very difficult to treat, and might leave permanent aftereffects… How could he touch something so dangerous?"

Ian shook his head with a heavy expression: "I don't know, but... he's been under a lot of pressure lately, and he's always reading very profound books in the library."

Severus silently chopped the food on his plate without looking up.

The Daily Prophet published a brief news item in a corner on Wednesday, mentioning that "an heir to an ancient pure-blood family had an accident while conducting illegal research into dark magic." The wording was cautious, but enough for those in the know to understand who it was referring to.

Thursday, the House of Response.

The fire in the fireplace was still burning, but the armchair by the window was empty.

Kevin fiddled with the chess pieces anxiously: "What do you think... how is he now? Will he be found out?"

"The effects of potions and runes are real. Unless a top-tier master of soul magic, St. Mungo's healers can only diagnose 'unexplained soul damage and magical disorder'."

Severus looked at the book but didn't turn a page. "The key is the Black family's attitude, and... whether they will accept this 'accident'."