Regulus Relaxed
The next Tianyi uneventfully; the weather was beautiful, and the sun made the sea shine.
Freya seemed to have forgotten about the question after asking it, and never brought it up again.
Regulus didn't ask, treating the matter as an open-ended script, waiting to see how the story unfolds.
For him, this was a novel experience.
From birth, he knew what the future held.
Voldemort will rise, war will break out, his family will split, and he will move forward amidst this situation.
He believed that given time, even if he couldn't surpass the top few, he wouldn't be completely out of reach of them.
Perhaps by then he will be free to pursue what he truly wants.
But he doesn't have that power yet, and that freedom won't come to him anytime soon.
Therefore, he desperately wanted to gain power, because every bit of power he gained would provide him with greater security in the future.
While other young wizards his age were worrying about homework, getting excited about Quidditch, or tossing and turning because a boy or girl had glanced at him, Regulus always seemed to be chasing after him.
It has a concrete image, Voldemort, but it's more of a feeling.
It feels like if we don't hurry, we'll miss something; if we don't become stronger, we'll be swallowed up by something.
He dared not relax, nor could he afford to relax; he knew what he was about to face.
Voldemort's gaze, the Death Eaters ' probing, the pressure of the family's survival, and that inevitable moment of choice.
These things have been there since he can remember, like a mountain, standing far away, but visible when he looks up.
Now he stands in Reef Town on the North Sea in Germany. The mountain is still there, but it seems farther away.
There are no Voldemort's eyes and ears here, no opposing alliances among Pureblood families, and no factional infighting within Slytherin.
There's only the sea, only the wind, only the three daily patrols, and a Germany witch who doesn't talk much but is easy to get along with.
Regulus found himself relaxed, both mentally and physically.
He smiled more often, occasionally joking with Freya during patrols, and offering his opinions on which dishes were the best during meals.
Occasionally, he would ride Broomstick out to sea and fly back to tell her what he had seen that day—a group of dolphins, a giant sea turtle, or a rainbow rising from the distant sea.
Freya's expression was always indifferent when she listened to him say these things, but Regulus could tell she was listening attentively.
But despite relaxing, he didn't neglect his duties; he still practiced Magic every day.
Come to think of it, the reason he can feel relaxed even in Germany is because he has enough strength.
Otherwise, he would be like Sirius now, spending his days holed up in the Training Room, practicing those basic Magic over and over again.
If he lacks power, or if he is not good enough, Orion will not allow him to make his own arrangements, to do what he wants, to practice the Magic he wants, or to give him considerable autonomy.
The Black family needs a qualified heir, Sirius is already in that state, so he must take over.
Fortunately, although he is not powerful enough, he is actually quite capable.
But Regulus knew this was just a temporary stop on his vacation.
He will eventually return to UK, back to the place where he needs to stay alert at all times.
That was the foundation of the Black family, the place where their ancestors had struggled for over a thousand years to acquire everything: status, power, wealth, knowledge, and property.
Those things need someone to protect them, someone to inherit them, and someone to ensure they continue to exist and even shine in the new era.
But at least for now, he's enjoying it all.
He could even feel his Magic Power changing—light, cheerful, and active, as if something was awakening within him.
The Patronus seemed to have been summoned as well; it wanted to come out and soar.
Regulus stood on the edge of the cliff, feeling the surge of emotion within him.
With a slight thought, a silvery-white light surged from his chest and condensed into the familiar creature in front of him.
The Starry Sky Kite spread its wings, raised its head, and let out a clear cry, a sound carrying a joyful quality, like a cheer.
Regulus smiled and raised his hand.
He cast Levitation Charm, and his body slowly lifted off the ground, flying forward and upward.
The sea breeze blew into my collar, bringing a slight chill, but the sun felt warm and comforting on my skin.
Starry Sky Kite circled above his head, scattering a sliver of silver light with each flap of its wings.
Occasionally, it would flash and disappear from its spot, only to reappear a few dozen meters away above the sea, then flash again and land on Regulus's shoulder.
Regulus's mind raced again.
A small orange-red bird materialized from his fingertip, took flight, and landed on his other shoulder.
Fiendfyre Bird.
Two birds, one silver-white and the other orange-red, perched on his left and right shoulders respectively.
Starry Sky Kite turned its head to the side, tilting it slightly, as if sizing up its suddenly appearing companion.
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It stretched out one wing and cautiously touched the Fiendfyre Bird.
The Fiendfyre Bird remained motionless, merely glancing at it; it was controlled by Regulus.
The Starry Sky Kite touched it again, this time the area of its wing touching it was larger.
The orange-red flames and the silvery-white light came into contact, producing a soft sizzling sound.
As if burned, the Starry Sky Kite abruptly retracted its wings, its entire body leaning back, almost falling off Regulus's shoulder.
It spread its wings, shook its feathers, and scattered silver light.
Then it approached again, but this time it was smarter and just watched from a distance, no longer stretching out its wings to touch it.
The Fiendfyre Bird stood quietly, letting it scrutinize it.
Regulus watched this scene, and the smile on his lips widened even further.
The Starry Sky Kite reflects a certain aspect of his inner self: freedom, curiosity, and a desire to explore the world.
The Fiendfyre Bird was completely under his control; it was an extension of his will.
The simultaneous appearance of both is like the simultaneous manifestation of two sides of his inner self.
Starry Sky Kite tried a few more times, but finally gave up interacting with its unresponsive companion and took flight on its own, circling around Regulus.
In the distance, Freya stood at the window of a Cabin, watching this scene.
From this distance, Regulus's figure appears small, but the swirling silver-white Light Point is quite conspicuous.
Freya watched the boy fly freely above the sea, watching the silver and orange-red light intertwine on his shoulders, watching the genuine smile on his face.
A gentle smile appeared on her face, which was always stern even when she was alone.
That smile softened her entire demeanor, adding something beyond her heroic spirit.
But her smile quickly faded.
She thought of that the Dark Lord's arrangements, of that Magic that sounded eerie just from hearing about it, that made all her learning seem naive, and of the question she had asked herself.
A sense of worry welled up inside me.
She used to think it didn't matter; he was just someone she had heard of and knew a little about, but didn't really know.
That the Dark Lord said he had a special destiny, so let him have it. It has nothing to do with her; she's just here to complete a mission.
But things are different now. After spending more than ten days together, they have become friends who can exchange Magic, discuss the situation, and sit down to eat quietly together.
Although there was a thirteen or fourteen-year age gap, and although she was much taller than him, she would always subconsciously ignore his age, both when speaking and when interacting with him.
She didn't want anything to happen to him.
Freya stood by the window and watched for a while longer the figure flying freely over the sea.
The Patronus and the Fiendfyre appear together and can even interact.
It's normal for a skilled wizard to summon Patronus.
It's not easy for a powerful wizard to control Fiendfyre, but it's also normal.
But to make Fiendfyre and the Patronus appear at the same time, and to make them interact like real living beings, is not something that can be done normally.
These two forces are naturally in conflict: one is the purest expression of positive emotions, and the other is the most dangerous and destructive flame.
The fact that this boy can control them simultaneously and keep them from clashing demonstrates that his understanding of Magic has transcended the level of mere application.
He was living in harmony with Magic.
Freya decided to trust him more.
After their evening patrol, the two went to the tavern again.
My usual spot by the window: two glasses of Pumpkin Juice, a plate of grilled sausages, and a potato salad.
Freya put down her fork and looked up at Regulus: "Something's happened in the family."
Regulus put down his fork and looked at her as well.
"An important member has been injured," Freya said calmly. "The chieftain has issued an order for retaliation."
She drew her wand and waved it lightly above the table.
Silver light surged from the tip of the staff, weaving into a three-dimensional map in the air.
The coastline, the location of Reef Town, the sea stretching northward, the outline of several small islands, and a dot marked in dark red.
She pointed to the red dot. "This is an important stronghold of Abyssal Whisper, about 120 nautical miles from Reef Town."
Regulus looked at the map and made a mental estimate.
"Shall we go?" he asked.
"We," Freya nodded, "Tomorrow."
She looked at Regulus, waiting for his reaction.
Regulus simply nodded. "Okay."
A hint of anticipation even appeared on his face; he wanted to try naval warfare too.
Freya wasn't surprised at all that he agreed so readily.
When they first met, she did have doubts about the boy's strength.
That the Dark Lord said he had a special destiny, and that he would do this or that in the future, but that's all in the future.
He's only twelve years old, what can he do?