A Flame

Cola, turn the page, and you'll find another world.

Regulus turned to the next page and saw the information about protection.

Fiendfyre Curse can be defended against by using Magic Power barrier, but only top-tier wizards can withstand it.

The notebook didn't include specific names, so there probably weren't any wizards of that power in that era.

But Regulus knew that Dumbledore could withstand Fiendfyre for a short time.

For example, in the duel at the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore blocked Voldemort's Fiendfyre Serpent, but could not sustain it for long and eventually had to guide or withdraw.

The notes also mention reverse manipulation, which, in extreme cases, allows one to forcibly change the direction of Fiendfyre's attack by exceeding the Spellcasting's will and Magic Power.

It was Dumbledore who did this, directly suppressing Voldemort's Fiendfyre, but it would be impossible for an ordinary wizard to do so.

Regulus fell into deep thought.

From this perspective alone, Dumbledore is stronger than Voldemort. Fiendfyre was already nearly unstoppable, yet Voldemort could suppress Dumbledore's Fiendfyre. This demonstrates the true extent of Dumbledore's power...

He shook his head, bringing his wandering thoughts back to the present.

Keep reading.

Control techniques: The essence of Fiendfyre Curse control lies in the Spellcasting's will suppressing the cursed fire.

In the original work, successful examples are only seen with Voldemort and Dumbledore, but the fact that this ancestor of the Black family was able to compile these materials may indicate that he himself could do it.

There are four core techniques.

Willpower is the driving force, and the core of control is absolute focus. It requires continuously transmitting clear instructions to the flames, such as limiting the burning to a certain area or not attacking specific targets.

There can be no wavering; if attention is diverted, the flames will immediately spiral out of control.

Emotional restraint requires separating the negative emotions associated with summoning flames from the will to control them.

Negative emotions are only used to ignite the flames; during the control phase, one must switch to calm rationality to avoid losing control of emotions and causing the flames to backfire.

The form is simplified, and in the initial stages of control, it is necessary to prevent the flames from transforming into multiple forms of ferocious beasts, as that would distract the mind.

Prioritize maintaining a single form, such as a wall of flames or a single Fire Serpent, to reduce the space for Main Consciousness to rebel.

Precise Magic Power output is crucial; during the control phase, Magic Power must be continuously and steadily injected, not supplied in bursts.

The Magic Fluctuation will stimulate the flames to become even more violent.

Regulus, having seen this, understood the situation.

With willpower as the guiding principle, the mental strength honed through Star Orbit Meditation is sufficient.

He is able to separate and switch between rationality and emotion due to emotional restraint.

The simplified form is acceptable.

His strength lies in the precise application of Magic Power.

He met all four requirements.

He then thought of Grindelwald's Blue Fire, which should be different from Fiendfyre.

Fiendfyre is an offensive type of cursed Dark Arts.

Grindelwald's Blue Fire are Proego Dibolic, a higher-order variant of the Dark Defense Charm, and are of different nature.

Once you understand it clearly, you can start practicing.

That evening, Regulus found Orion.

"I want to practice the Fiendfyre Curse," he said directly.

Orion was looking at documents in his Study when he heard this. He looked up, his gaze lingered on his son's face for a moment, and then he nodded.

"Come with me."

The two walked through the mansion's long Corridor and down to the second basement level.

This place is rarely used; there is only a heavy Stone Gate with protective Rune engraved on its surface.

Orion tapped his wand lightly, and the Stone Gate slid open silently.

Inside was a spacious Training Room, about twenty meters square, with walls, floor, and ceiling made of bluish-gray stone, polished smooth, and without any decoration.

There was a faint Magic aura in the air, a trace left by the long-term use of Protective Charm.

Orion went inside, waving his wand repeatedly.

With each incantation recited, a halo of light illuminated the walls of the Training Room, each a different color, which stacked together to form a thick protective barrier.

Regulus could feel the space being completely sealed off, the Magic Fluctuation being suppressed, and even the airflow slowing down.

After Orion finished all his preparations, he retreated to the edge of the Training Room and leaned against the stone wall.

"We can begin," he said, looking at Regulus. "I'll watch from here."

Regulus walked to the center of the Training Room.

He first closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and began to Star Orbit Meditation.

A model of the four and a half Orion Four Stars lit up in my consciousness, Magic Power circulated along the trajectory of the stars, and my mind gradually entered a state of high concentration.

Then he began to recall his negative emotions.

This is a bit difficult; he doesn't harbor deep-seated hatred, nor does he have an absolute desire to destroy anything.

But he can simulate it, without actually generating emotions, using only Magic Power to mimic those fluctuations.

He thought of the Grey Mist beneath the Astronomy Tower, the faces of those people, and the despair and pain they felt.

The Magic Power began to stir with the memories, carrying a chilling undercurrent, a tendency to destroy something.

That's not enough.

He thought of Voldemort, the darkness that name represented, the oppressive feeling, the threat of death for disobedience; his Magic Fluctuation surged, beginning to take on an aggressive nature.

That's still not enough.

Finally, he thought about what would happen if he failed.

If he doesn't get enough power when he needs it, if his family is forced to get more deeply involved, if Sirius, his parents, or even himself...

The Magic Power surged instantly, carrying an intense urge to tear apart everything in its path.

Right now.

Regulus opened his eyes, raised his wand, and his will and Magic Power resonated.

The air in the center of the Training Room distorted.

The space itself trembled, and a tiny orange-red light appeared out of thin air, hovering half a meter high, no bigger than a fingernail.

The light began to expand.

There was no process; it erupted instantly, expanding from the size of a fingernail to the size of a fist.

The orange-red color turned bright orange, the temperature rose sharply, and the air in the Training Room was heated.

The flames began to change.

A blurry outline emerged on the surface, like countless tiny snakes writhing.

They try to extend outwards, try to break away from the core, and try to become independent entities.

Regulus pressed down with his wand.

Willpower formed an invisible giant hand, holding down the flames that were trying to divide them.

The flames struggled, the temperature continued to rise, and the heat waves slammed against the protective barrier, causing it to flicker.

The air in the Training Room was so hot it was impossible to breathe properly. Regulus cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself, and Orion did the same by the wall.

persist in.

The Magic Power was continuously and steadily output, the will was highly focused, and there was only one thought in the mind: maintain this form and do not change it.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds.

The flame began to stabilize, the serpentine outline on the surface faded, and it returned to a simple flame shape, only the color was darker and the temperature was much higher than that of an ordinary flame.

At the forty-fifth second, Regulus felt his limit. He still had enough Magic Power, but maintaining this level of willpower and suppression had pushed his mental load to its peak.

He swung his wand downwards.

The flames went out and disappeared instantly, the temperature dropped sharply, and the residual heat in the Training Room began to dissipate.

Regulus lowered his wand, his breathing slightly rapid.

On the first attempt, it lasted for forty-five seconds. The flames were not out of control, but they were not completely under control either. In the last few seconds, I could feel it gathering power, preparing to break through the suppression.

Orion walked over, didn't say anything, just patted him on the shoulder.

Okay, continue.

For the next three days, Regulus spent six hours each day in the Training Room.

The next day, he was able to maintain the flame for a minute, with a more stable shape and more precise temperature control.

But attempts to move it failed; the flame had only drifted five centimeters to the left when it suddenly expanded and almost went out of control.

On the third day, he successfully made the flame move slowly in the Training Room, like a floating lantern.

However, the movement trajectory is stiff, and it requires pausing when turning, falling far short of the level of flexible control.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Regulus stood in the center of the Training Room, wand held horizontally, palm facing upwards.

An orange-red flame ignited three centimeters above the palm.

The flame was only the size of a candle flame, deep in color, burning steadily without flickering or distorting—just a quiet, orange-red flame.

Regulus's fingers twitched slightly.

The flame moves accordingly, five centimeters to the left and ten centimeters to the right, drawing a circle and a triangle.

The trajectory is smooth, without any lag, as if being guided by an invisible thread.

He flipped his hand over so that his palm was facing down.

The flames hovered in the air, neither falling nor spreading, remaining fixed in place.

Then he began to perform complex operations.

Split the flame into three smaller flames, each moving independently and weaving simple geometric patterns in the air. Then merge them back into one flame.

The flames were compressed, from the size of a fist to the size of a walnut, increasing density and causing the temperature to soar. The protective barriers in the Training Room began to hum like alarm bells.

Relax again and let the flame return to its original state.

The entire process lasted three minutes.

When it was over, Regulus clenched his fist, and the flames silently went out, leaving not even a trace of smoke.

The Training Room returned to silence, with only the protective Rune on the walls still faintly glowing, recording what had just happened.

Orion stood by the wall, staring at the spot in his son's palm where the flame had just ignited, for a long time.

Then he walked over, put his hand on Regulus's shoulder, and pressed down hard.

"That's enough," Orion said, his voice tinged with suppressed excitement. "The first step was solid."

Regulus nodded without speaking, but he knew in his heart that this was indeed only the first step.

A small flame is far from being Fiendfyre behemoth summoned in actual battle.

But at least it proves that the path is viable, that his will is strong enough, his Magic Power control is precise enough, and that he can tame one of the most dangerous flames in the Wizarding World.

All that's left is practice, accumulation, and gradually increasing the intensity.

After practicing for two more days, Regulus was able to steadily control the fist-sized Fiendfyre and perform various complex maneuvers.

He is skilled in movement, Transfiguration, temperature control, splitting and merging.

But anything bigger wouldn't work. When trying to summon a flame the size of a soccer ball, the difficulty of control increased exponentially, and it almost went out of control after only twenty seconds.

He knew it would take time; the Fiendfyre Curse wasn't Magic that could be mastered quickly. It required long-term practice to allow the body and mind to adapt to that high-pressure state.

On the morning of the last day of the Easter holiday, Regulus packed his things and said goodbye to his parents.

Walburga gave a long list of instructions: demonstrate strength, value honor, and don't just focus on studying.

Orion simply said, "Write to me if you need anything."

Regulus nodded and walked to the open space in front of the mansion.

Apparition.

After the feeling of being cramped in the space subsided, my feet landed on the hillside outside Hogwarts Castle.

The air was crisp and cool in the early April morning, carrying the scent of earth and grass, with distant Castle spires appearing and disappearing in the morning mist.

He walked towards the Castle.

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