Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying

Dumbledore also arrived early in the morning.

Guests arrived one after another, and by noon, there were already twenty or thirty people sitting on the benches, including many with prominent surnames, as well as some unknown ordinary wizards and even Muggles.

They sat together, coming to attend Regulus' funeral.

Thank you for your concern, the author is still alive.

I just asked for leave, how did I become a eunuch? [I posted the request for leave in the author's comments, so some readers may not have seen it]

I've been going out recently and taking the train a lot. The signal is bad and it's hard to find time to write.

Currently, the average subscription is over 10,000. I am very satisfied with the result. I would not want to cut it as I just signed a long-term contract.

Chapter 206 Funeral 2

Near noon, the snow stopped at the right time and a sad music started.

In the garden, where the fountain used to be, there were a few people dressed strangely. They wore loose black robes and played funeral music. They wore hats that looked like bird nests on their heads. The most amazing thing was that the tip of the hat was shaped like a fortune-teller.

Augureys are black birds that resemble vultures. They have sad expressions and their cries are heartbreakingly shrill.

Although the Fortune Telling Birds on the hats of several performers did not have such magical powers, they would occasionally make sad cries along with the music, which made people's hearts tremble along with them.

Sirius held Regulus's body and walked slowly along the aisle between the seats.

Everyone looked solemn, even Draco Malfoy behaved very properly at this time.

Sirius placed the body on the long brown table. The black velvet seemed to slide down naturally, revealing Regulus' pale face.

There was a faint commotion among the crowd.

Dumbledore had already lifted the necromancy that turned Regulus into an Inferi, and under the influence of magic, the body did not undergo any noticeable changes.

He lay quietly on his back on the long table, looking almost the same as when he was alive, except that his face was pale. His black hair fell softly on the table.

Faint sobbing could be heard from the crowd.

Wade looked over and saw Andromeda crying quietly with her face in her hands, while Tonks and her husband Ted were around her to comfort her.

Regulus' other cousin, Narcissa, did not cry out loud, but tears were glistening in her eyes and she looked sad.

Sirius stood in front of the body and whispered, "It is with a heavy and sad heart that I hold the funeral today for my brother, Regulus Black."

"Perhaps many people still remember Regulus. Unlike me who likes to show off my abilities, he is a quiet and gentle person who cares about his parents and relatives. Even for a house-elf, he always shows the utmost respect and care."

Kreacher took a sharp breath and fell to the ground. He did not cry out loudly, but his thin body was shaking violently.

Few people noticed a house-elf in the corner.

Sirius continued:

"I've known Regulus since I was one and a half years old. I thought I knew him well - my whole family is from Slytherin, and we were raised to be pure-bloods first."

"My parents have always told us that Muggles are an inferior race and that people who associate with Muggles are not worthy of being called Black. In the family tree, every one of those names that were burned was a pure-blood traitor who did not know how to uphold the honor of the family."

Among the guests, some nodded slightly in agreement, while others frowned with uncomfortable expressions, almost unable to hold back from saying something.

But Sirius didn't look at anyone's expression. His eyes were a little empty, as if he was immersed in the past.

"Of course I thought it was all stupid, so I ran away from that suffocating crazy family. But I also thought my brother had been completely brainwashed and became a staunch believer in blood purity. When he joined the Death Eaters, I was even more convinced of this."

"We are all Black, we are from the same mother, but we are in different camps. Regulus... he is working for an evil dark wizard, Voldemort. He is one of the executioners who hurt innocent people... I have always believed so."

Some people in the crowd became uneasy because Sirius called Voldemort by name, and they looked around as if hoping someone would stop him.

Some people, such as Lucius Malfoy, were pale and wanted to say something, but Narcissa grabbed their arms, so they swallowed their words.

"But I was wrong."

Sirius' throat rolled, and he could hardly make a sound. He paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then continued to speak in the surprised eyes of everyone.

"Regulus once blindly believed in the pure-blood philosophy instilled in him by his parents. He once worshipped Voldemort and was proud to join the Death Eaters. But after witnessing Voldemort's cruelty with his own eyes, Regulus woke up."

"He realized the mistakes of Voldemort and decided to rebel against the Dark Lord. He was willing to die in order to bring about Voldemort's demise... and died in early adulthood."

"Before he decided to die, Regulus didn't tell anyone about his plan, including our parents. After his death, no one knew what he had done. He died in a quiet corner..."

"It was not until thirteen years later, when we found his body... that I realized that Regulus was actually very brave. His courage was beyond my imagination, and his compassion was far beyond my reach..."

Sirius did not mention Vader and Lupin's names, at their own request, but thanked Dumbledore for his help.

The headmaster of Hogwarts stood in front of the crowd, a thin layer of snow on his silver hair.

Although Sirius was vague and did not explain clearly how Regulus "resisted Voldemort and died", Dumbledore's presence here was a guarantee, and no one present doubted the truth of this matter.

"No wonder..."

Lucius Malfoy subconsciously clenched his left arm, as if he could still feel the burning pain when Voldemort summoned him.

Narcissa clenched her fingers suddenly, and her already pale face became even paler than paper.

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, looked unhappy, muttering something like "pure-blood traitor".

He wanted to leave, but when his parents didn't say anything, he had to stand there obediently. However, he was no longer in the mood to listen to what Sirius had to say.

Sirius finished his eulogy, and then Dumbledore spoke again, stressing Regulus's dedication and courage, and regretting that he had not gotten to know the student better while he was still alive.

Dumbledore's words were the final word on Regulus' death, and no one had any doubts anymore.

No one spoke after that.

Sirius placed Regulus in the coffin and, together with several wizards who were related by marriage, carried the coffin to the woods behind the garden.

There is a hidden cemetery here where all the ancestors of the Black family are buried. The white tombstones silently watched them place the coffin into the pre-selected place.

Many wizards took out their wands and whispered spells. The coffin slowly sank, but the surrounding soil kept rolling up, until it completely swallowed the coffin and formed a marble tomb on top.

The golden flames suddenly burned up, then moved across the tombstone, and soon formed a string of words on the surface of the stone -

【Regulus Arcturus Black】

【1961－1979】

【Courage is a fearless force】

There is only one chapter today.

Chapter 207 Malfoy

The funeral was over and most of the guests left. Narcissa and Andromeda went to talk to Sirius.

In the past, Narcissa did not have a good relationship with the other two siblings. Bloodline, stance, and family stood between them. Narcissa did not even speak to these two "bloodline traitors".

After Sirius was released from prison, Andromeda visited him several times and invited him to her home to recuperate for a while. Narcissa only appeared in the audience on the day of the trial, and there was no intersection after that.

But at this moment, in front of Regulus's grave, they could finally put aside their grudges and resentments and speak to each other without hostility.

Malfoy and his son were naturally waiting not far away. Although they were sitting in the front row, they looked lonely and the people around them deliberately ignored them.

The two Malfoys did not feel embarrassed by this. They did not look down on those shabby people and preferred to live in peace and quiet.

The two were talking in low voices.

"That gray-eyed boy before was Weed Grey?" Lucius Malfoy whispered.

"Yes." Draco said disdainfully, "He's just a Mudblood, but he's valued by that old lunatic Dumbledore and Murray! There's also a bunch of little idiots around him, including that scarred Harry Potter..."

"I thought you would reflect on yourself!"

Lucius interrupted his complaints coldly and said, "I told you that you should make some promising friends instead of always hanging out with those fools who flatter you."

Draco's eyes darkened.

Most of the people who used to follow him like a tail have basically left.

He complained to his father, but was criticized -

In Lucius's opinion, Crabbe and Goyle were just as stupid as their father, making people doubt whether they had brains at all. Draco couldn't even win over such people, and in Lucius's opinion, his own problems were obviously bigger.

"But what did I see? A group of the most talented young wizards in the same grade participated in a group activity, working in harmony and recognizing each other. But you were excluded!"

Lucius said disappointedly: "Draco, I have taught you repeatedly that you can dislike some people, but don't push away valuable people because of your own preferences."

"I don't want to come here and do some servant's work!"

Draco said unconvincedly: "And Weed Grey is just a Mudblood! You told me that our Malfoy family is a pure-blooded aristocrat..."

"I also told you that our noble titles and fiefdoms all come from the Muggle Emperor William I. Before the implementation of the Statute of Secrecy, our family has always maintained a close relationship with the Muggle royal family. Your ancestors even courted Queen Elizabeth I."

"But didn't you say..."

"Yes, of course we deny this to the outside world, but we can't deceive ourselves."

Lucius interrupted Draco and taught him:

"Draco, pure-blood wizards are indeed superior, but supporting puristism does not mean that we have to completely push away the non-magical society. Power and wealth are the truly eternal things. They are the real power that maintains our Malfoy family."

"The Dark Lord is also a half-blood, so what? If he succeeds, he will lead us, the families that support him, into a new hub of power."

Draco was silent for a moment, then said, "But he failed."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Harry Potter who was talking to Neville and others in the distance.

"Then we should accept this result instead of sending ourselves to Azkaban for revenge like your stupid aunt did."

Lucius adjusted his collar and said in a low voice:

"If the pro-Muggle faction gains power, then we can also become pro-Muggle. Dumbledore is not a person who can be swayed by words, but Harry Potter and Weider Grey are still children and can be easily moved. There is no harm in building a good relationship with them..."

Draco lowered his head and said nothing, unconsciously turning a ring in his hand.

His pride prevented him from bowing his head to please those who didn't like him, but he made more valuable friends. One day he would prove to his father that he was also very capable...

A cleaner crab crunched past them, and Lucius cautiously stopped talking until the crab was gone.

"Next semester, pay attention to the changes in the school and tell me if anything happens."

"What could possibly happen at school?" Draco muttered. "I'd say the biggest news would probably be the magical pets... Weed Grey always comes up with something unexpected."

"That's why I asked you to spend more time with him." Lucius said, "Do you know how much money Aslan Magic Workshop made after cooperating with him?"

As he spoke, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.