The Plague Wand

When Regulus saw Dumbledore standing there, his first reaction was that it was expected.

He wasn't even particularly surprised.

Hermes' injury, Darren's actions, the curse behind the Stone Gate —when these events are considered together, it makes perfect sense that Dumbledore would end up here.

A thought even flashed through his mind: could it all have been arranged?

Was Hermes' injury also part of the plan, just to see if he would follow suit?

But the thought was quickly suppressed, because it was pointless.

Even if it were true, what could he do?

Question the principal? Or pretend you don't know?

Neither will work, so let's just do what needs to be done.

Tonight's energy expenditure is far beyond what is expected.

The number of Spellcasting was actually not many; the Shield Charm lasted from beginning to end, and the Starry Sky Kite appeared only at the very end. No complicated Magic was used in between.

However, the energy expenditure is much greater than during regular training, mainly due to the sheer volume of energy consumed.

One face after another crashed into us, and with each impact, the Shield Charm had to expend Magic Power to counteract the force of the impact.

There was also the erosion of the spirit; the despair and pain emanating from each face would pollute the barrier, trying to penetrate his mind through Magic Power.

He needs to continuously inject pure Magic Power to purify, replenish, and maintain it.

This is much more tiring than the duel with Orion. A duel is a clash of strength, where the expenditure is visible and calculable.

Tonight, however, the loss is like a slow, steady drain, as if countless tiny cuts are simultaneously drawing blood from him.

Even when Star Orbit Meditation is pushed to its limit, it barely keeps up with the depletion of Magic Power. Mental Layer, one must also do everything possible to maintain Mental Barrier, otherwise, any lapse in concentration could allow negative Magic Power to take advantage of the situation.

But he didn't remove the protective gear; the Shield Charm was still there, and the Starry Sky Kite was still perched on his shoulder.

The Patronus's silvery-white light illuminated the surrounding area, causing the Grey Mist to retreat outside the light and dare not approach.

Dumbledore blinked, a gentle smile playing on his lips, his white beard trembling slightly with each breath.

He raised his right hand, his index finger extended, and a ball of light shone from the tip of his finger.

The light was gentle and not glaring, like the first ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds in the early morning.

The light diffused outwards.

Like water spreading across the ground, naturally unfolding.

Where the white light touched, the Grey Mist dissipated, and human faces melted away without a sound or struggle, as if they had never existed.

After the white light reached the Stone Gate, it returned like an echo, coalescing back into Dumbledore's fingertip and finally transforming into a small, glowing ball the size of a pigeon's egg. Its light remained warm, carrying a comforting power.

Regulus could clearly feel his tense mind relax instantly, and the fatigue he had accumulated earlier dissipated as if washed away by warm water.

He removed the Shield Charm, and the pale blue star-patterned barrier silently dissipated.

The Starry Sky Kite tilted its head back and let out a soft cry, affectionately nuzzling his cheek with its beak. The warm touch lingered for a moment before turning into silvery-white Light Point and dissipating into the air.

"What a beautiful bird." Dumbledore gazed in the direction where the Starry Sky Kite had disappeared, his eyes filled with admiration.

"The Starry Sky Kite, a legendary creature that feeds on starlight and can pass through space, I never imagined it would become your Patronus."

"Thank you for your praise, Principal." Regulus nodded, offering a slightly respectful compliment.

"Your Phoenix is equally magical, Nirvana rebirth, healing wounds; it is the most revered Patronus in the Wizarding World."

Dumbledore knew about the Starry Sky Kite, Regulus was no surprise to him either.

Orion told him to hide, but he had neither the chance nor the strength to hide.

Besides, this is Dumbledore; if you see it, you see it.

Dumbledore's eyes lit up, and he looked pleased with himself. He stroked his beard and said, "It's a very happy thing to have the approval of a young wizard."

Phoenix is really great, but it's also quite mischievous and occasionally makes a mess of my office.

He put away the orb of light, and when he took his hand out again, he was holding a pocket Pocket Watch. The watch cover popped open, and he took a closer look.

"It's twelve minutes to three," Dumbledore said. "So strictly speaking, you should say good morning."

Regulus didn't respond to that; instead, he looked up and stared directly at Dumbledore: "The Headmaster has been here all night?"

"I've always been here." Dumbledore nodded, his tone frank, his blue eyes filled with admiration. "From the moment you entered the Astronomy Tower, I watched you walk through the passageways and face the Grey Mist."

I was genuinely surprised when you chose to stay behind and cover the retreat. It's rare for a first-year student to remain calm in a situation and be willing to take risks for their comrades.

"Anyone with the ability would have done the same," Regulus replied modestly, without a hint of self-praise in his tone.

"Avery and Alex are not capable of handling this kind of crisis; I can't leave them standing still."

"That choice is not easy," Dumbledore said. "It is a good quality to think of taking your classmates with you in times of crisis and to stay behind to cover the rear."

Many people know they should do it this way, but when it comes down to it, they choose something else.

With great power comes great responsibility. Do you like that?

Dumbledore looked at him, and something flickered in the old man's eyes. He raised his hand and gently wiped the corner of his eye with his sleeve.

He raised his hand and gently patted Regulus's shoulder, his palm warm and firm. "You're more mature than I imagined, Mr. Black, and braver too."

He added, "And even better."

Regulus lowered his head modestly, as if embarrassed by the praise.

But he kept repeating these words in his mind: quality, maturity, courage, excellence.

Moral identity?

There seemed to be an unspoken understanding between the two, and neither of them pressed the other for answers.

Regulus didn't ask Dumbledore why he was hiding in the shadows, only revealing himself at the very last moment.

Dumbledore didn't ask him why he discovered the passage under the Astronomy Tower, or why he didn't inform the professor beforehand.

This made the atmosphere of the conversation exceptionally harmonious. Dumbledore always wore a gentle smile, and his appreciation in his eyes was undisguised, as if he was genuinely happy for Regulus's performance.

The key point is that Regulus did not sense any signal that his Mental Barrier had been breached.

Perhaps it was there, but he didn't notice.

That's Dumbledore! Regulus didn't believe that if Dumbledore really wanted to, he wouldn't be able to break through his Legilimency.

Maybe not, after all, he's just a first-year wizard.

At times, Dumbledore can be quite stubborn; he is constantly restraining himself.

Dumbledore seemed to be in a good mood; the wrinkles around his eyes had smoothed out, and the upturned corner of his mustache was clearly visible.

"What is that wand?" Regulus asked the question that concerned him most.

His gaze fell on Dumbledore's empty left hand; the strange wand had already been put away by the headmaster.

"It's called the Plague Wand," Dumbledore answered directly.

They didn't brush him off because of Regulus young age or anything else; instead, they introduced him to him earnestly.

But Regulus knew that Dumbledore was sharing a secret and demonstrating trust.

Regulus listened quietly.

Dumbledore's tone turned serious, his smile fading and replaced by a more solemn expression.

In the mid-16th century, there was Dark Wizard in Italy named Valentino Solito who was obsessed with the materialization of the Magic Power of pain.

He targeted the Black Death that was spreading Europe at the time, intercepting Withered Bone Moth carrying the pathogen.

"Withered Bone Moth?" Regulus asked at the opportune moment.

He remembered the records of this Magical Creatures, but he never expected it to be related to this wand.

"That's right, a creature that can spread Magic Plague." Dumbledore nodded and continued.

"Valentino used Dark Arts to distort and modify pathogens, developing the Plague Curse."

This curse is not immediately fatal, but it can be spread through the Withered Bone Moth. Those infected will first experience skin ulceration and severe joint pain.

Then the senses are consumed by pain, consciousness is gradually eroded by despair, and finally, death comes after weeks of torment.

"Those faces, are they formed from the pain of the dead?" Regulus pressed.

"That's right." A hint of reluctance flashed in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Valentino used this method to kill all 70,000 residents of Bolzano and the surrounding villages in northern Italy."

He used Dark Arts to condense the extreme pain and despair of all the dead, forging this wand of Plague Wand.

Regulus lightly touched the staff, quickly processing the information in his mind. "The staff is made of Black Walnut Wood, and the core should be a mixture of Valentino's finger bones Withered Bone Moth?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise, then smiled, "You've observed very carefully; this wand certainly is."

Back then, Professor Marcus Valerius, along with three other professors, besieged Valentino and, after capturing the wand, discovered it was indestructible.

The Magic Power pain had become one with the wand; forcibly destroying it would cause the Magic Power to leak out, triggering a secondary disaster. Therefore, it was hidden in Hogwarts and sealed with multiple ancient Protective Charm.

Regulus's heart skipped a beat as Dumbledore explained why he had finally taken the wand.

But can't I even destroy this physical wand?

The thought flashed through his mind, and he continued, "Principal, what was that white light just now?"

Those faces I struggled to defend against were utterly powerless against the white light.

Dumbledore at this, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling with a hint of slyness. "That was just a beam of light, but it carried a touch of brightness."

Regulus nodded; he understood—it was about elemental weaknesses and strengths.