The Bloody Baron looked at Regulus with an unreadable expression. In that instant, Regulus felt as though many things had been seen through.
"A complete soul is the best defense."
Just when Regulus thought there would be no answer, for reasons unknown even to himself, the Baron finally spoke.
"But if you're asking about a soul that's already been damaged, then fixation may be one way.
A deliberate act of stabilization. Locking the injured portion in place so it stops fracturing further, like setting a broken bone with a splint."
"How?" Regulus pressed. This was the crux of it. One question could yield two answers.
Knowing how to protect also meant knowing how to destroy.
The Baron shook his head. "I don't know. I'm a failed example, not a successful one. But if you truly want to explore the secrets of the soul…"
He paused, as if weighing something. After a long while, he continued.
"Hogwarts hides a place. There are clues left behind by Rowena Ravenclaw herself.
About wisdom. About the soul. About the possibility of transcending life and death."
"The Room of Requirement? The Come and Go Room?" Regulus asked. That was the place most closely tied to Ravenclaw in his memory.
The Baron did not answer directly. He spoke on as if to himself.
"When you are truly ready, the castle will open a path for you.
But for now… you are too young. Knowing too much is dangerous."
With that, the Bloody Baron dissolved completely into the shadows, leaving only his final whisper hanging in the air.
"Be careful of your thirst for knowledge, child of the Black family. It will lead you to places you do not expect, and into dangers you did not foresee."
Regulus stood there for a long time before turning away.
---
By the time he returned to the Slytherin table, the performance had ended and the feast had shifted into free mingling.
He had just sat down when several upper-year students approached.
The first to speak was Evan Rosier, a seventh-year and Alex's distant cousin.
Holding a goblet, he wore a polite smile. "Regulus, happy Halloween. Alex mentions you often. You've got quite a presence among the lower years."
"I'm only doing what needs to be done," Regulus replied, keeping to proper social courtesy.
A sixth-year boy beside Rosier let out a soft laugh. Regulus remembered his name.
Wilkes.
"Schoolyard scuffles are nothing. The real magical world is outside, and out there, no one cares how well you perform at school."
Wilkes's tone carried open disdain. With several members of his family already holding posts in the Ministry of Magic, he clearly viewed school achievements as meaningless.
There was no reason to waste words on someone like that.
Regulus ignored him.
The third to step forward was a seventh-year girl, Alecto Carrow. She was far more direct.
"My brother Amycus admires how you handled Travers. He said that when you go to intern at the Ministry, he can introduce you to some like-minded people."
Regulus understood her meaning at once. The Carrow siblings were openly aligned with Voldemort.
"Thank you," he replied evenly. "I look forward to that day."
Alecto raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, and turned away.
Wilkes followed her, clearly losing interest.
Regulus glanced toward the Gryffindor table. Sirius was staring back at him, his expression sour.
James leaned in close, muttering something into Sirius's ear while pointing repeatedly toward the Slytherin table.
Lily sat not far from them. She had noticed the upper-year Slytherins speaking with Regulus as well.
She lowered her gaze to her plate, brow furrowed.
The last time she had spoken with Regulus, he had already mentioned the situation beyond Hogwarts. Lily knew what that implied.
"See?" James's voice carried over, deliberately loud. "Those Death Eater wannabes are already trying to recruit him. I'd say he won't even need to graduate before joining them…"
"Potter!" Lily snapped, lifting her head sharply.
"What? I'm stating facts!" James shot back, chin raised as he argued with her. "Look at him. A textbook Slytherin. Everyone around him, their families are practically all on that side. You really think he won't be?"
Lily bit her lip. She wanted to argue, but the words would not come. She knew too well how much bloodlines could decide.
The Black family already had one Sirius openly opposing them.
What about Regulus? What choice would he make?
At the far end of the Slytherin table, Rabastan Lestrange was watching Regulus.
His gaze was dark and sharp, fingers tapping against the tabletop in a steady rhythm.
From a corner seat, Snape noticed Rabastan's stare. His black eyes narrowed slightly.
After the feast, the Slytherins returned to the dungeons in small groups.
Regulus walked with Cuthbert and Hermes. Alex trailed a few steps behind, wanting to draw closer but hesitating.
"That look Lestrange gave you," Hermes sneered. "Who does he think he is? He can't even manage a nonverbal spell. All he has is his family name."
Cuthbert nodded. "He needs a lesson. Someone should remind him who actually gets to speak in Slytherin."
Both of them looked to Regulus, waiting.
Regulus was still thinking about what the Baron had said about transcending life and death. Hearing them, he gave a slight nod. "Don't make it too loud. Don't leave evidence."
That was permission enough.
Cuthbert and Hermes exchanged a glance, then smiled in silent understanding.
Alex hurried forward, hesitating as he spoke. "I… I can help too."
No one responded. Cuthbert glanced back at him once, then turned away.
Hermes did not even look at him.
Back in the dormitory, Cuthbert and Hermes whispered at the far end of the room, discussing how to deal with Rabastan. Their plans grew more detailed, more vicious by the minute.
Regulus listened without comment.
To him, these schoolyard conflicts were laughably childish. If he truly wanted someone gone, there were countless ways.
Potion accidents, Dark magic, Curses and even arranging an accident beyond school grounds.
But at this stage, he needed followers like Cuthbert and Hermes. Facing a shared enemy was the fastest way to build cohesion.
So he allowed it.
Rabastan Lestrange was a minor piece.
The real concern lay outside.
Voldemort's influence was spreading. His father Orion's letters hinted that many within the Ministry had already pledged themselves in secret.
His mother Walburga's letters urged him to associate more with suitable people. That meant Pure-blood heirs, preferably those likely to become Death Eaters.
Meditation could not stop.
Not for a moment.
---
The next morning's Charms class brought a new spell.
Professor Flitwick announced it with enthusiasm. "Today we'll be learning the Softening Charm.
The incantation is 'Spongify'."
Standing atop a stack of books so the whole class could see him, he demonstrated the wand movement.
"Small clockwise circles, then a gentle flick. Like this."
He cast the spell, and a corner of the platform immediately softened, springy like a sponge. Several students gasped.
"This charm temporarily softens hard objects," Flitwick said as he hopped down and began patrolling the classroom.
"It's often used to make temporary cushions, absorb falls, or… set a few harmless traps."
Slytherin and Ravenclaw shared the class. Regulus noticed a Ravenclaw girl with curly brown hair who stood out. She succeeded on her first attempt, earning five points from Flitwick.
Regulus lifted his wand. "Spongify."
The stone block on his desk instantly turned a deep gray, sponge-like mass. When he pressed it, it sank easily, then slowly rebounded once he released it.
The effect was even more refined than the Ravenclaw girl's.
After class, Regulus headed toward the library.
Cuthbert and Hermes exchanged a glance and split up.
Alex hesitated. He looked at Regulus, and when Regulus gave no instructions, he quickened his pace and followed Cuthbert.
Near the library entrance, Regulus ran into Snape.
"Black," Snape said flatly.
"Snape," Regulus replied, even flatter.
After a brief silence, Snape spoke again. "At the feast last night, Lestrange kept watching you. Not in a friendly way."
Regulus raised an eyebrow slightly. Snape was offering him information of his own accord.
It was a small thing, almost insignificant, but it was a good start.
"He wasn't only watching me," Regulus said calmly.
"He watches anyone who might make the Lestrange name look less important. Lestrange is like a dog guarding its food. Loud barking, bared teeth before the bite."
With someone like Snape, overly refined language only widened the distance. Regulus made his words plainer.
Snape's dark eyes flickered in the dim light.
Regulus softened his tone just a little. "Still, thanks. I'm not worried about him, but it's always useful to know who's paying attention."
He had no intention of sending Snape to the front lines. That would be a waste.
Beyond his exceptional talent in potions, Snape's ability to observe and remain unseen was extraordinary.
He was, without exaggeration, the finest sleeper agent the magical world could ever produce.
---
I'm starting Power Stone milestones!
For every 100 Power Stones, I'll upload an extra bonus chapterr :)