Dumbledore Won't Let Me Play with You

Regulus lay in bed, unable to sleep. His mind was filled with too much information, like waves crashing against the shore outside the window.

These past few days have been filled with experiences, from the first day I met Freya, to my first encounter with the Abyssal Whisper, to casting the Second Form of the Severing Charm, to that Burning Island, to the Abyssal Slumber, to that thing.

Where did that thing come from?

How long has it existed? Thousands of years? Tens of thousands of years? Or even earlier than humans?

It conveyed those messages so naturally, as if every Magic could be interpreted differently by it.

Regulus hadn't thought about it much at the time, but now, looking back, he realized what that sense of entitlement meant.

It seems that all the Magic, all the systems, and everything related to Magic in the modern Wizarding World already existed there.

That's why it can match each path and point out another way.

Because those roads were always there; it just points them out, like pointing to a door that has been open for a long time.

It is simply stating things that have already existed, been verified, and been proven.

Regulus didn't know; he could only guess.

What about Grindelwald?

He obtained that document decades ago, and he must have been inside it. How did he respond when faced with that object? Which path did he choose?

Or should I listen like him, and then go my own way?

And what exactly did he see?

That about his future.

If one could see the future, what would that future person look like? A powerful wizard? A person in an important position? Or something else entirely?

How could he have lit up Bellatrix without Grindelwald's intervention?

He thought about this question for a while, but couldn't come up with an answer.

It might light up someday, due to some opportunity, but I don't know how long it will take, or what I'll have to go through.

Regulus recalled Joachim's reaction the instant he saw the blue flames burst from Freya's body, and his Magic Power instantly coalesced.

But it certainly wasn't out of fear of Freya; rather, it was the very meaning of the Magic itself that triggered his reaction.

Grindelwald stood almost at the very top of the entire human race, one of the strongest individuals on this planet.

That blue flame is his mark; seeing it reminds me of him.

Regulus couldn't help but wonder, what about him?

If one day he could become so powerful, leaving his mark on the world, leaving behind Magic that would trigger a reaction in anyone who saw it, what would it be?

Now, the only Magic truly unique to him, the one that only he can cast and that he developed entirely on his own, is the Severing Charm.

He imagined the scene if the Severing Charm was his mark.

The Second Form of the Severing Charm, at its lowest power, spreads Silencio.

Wherever it goes, everyone feels nauseous and uncomfortable, wanting to vomit but unable to, or feeling dizzy but unable to pass out.

If this happens frequently enough, it might eventually develop into something like this:

Headaches and fevers are Severing Charm, colds and fevers are Severing Charm, nausea S.P.E.W. are also Severing Charm.

Whenever I feel unwell, I suspect it's him.

When the image flashed through Regulus's mind, he felt something was off.

But following this line of thought, he discovered there were deeper things worth considering.

Sound waves can transmit spells quickly, but over long enough distances, even the speed of sound becomes insufficient.

The sound travels a long way from UK to continental Europe, and from Europe to Americas.

The problem is that it can't travel that far. Sound waves attenuate as they travel through the atmosphere, becoming weaker with distance and eventually disappearing completely.

He came up with the idea that radio waves are also waves.

If Electromagnetic Wave could replace sound waves as the propagation medium, the coverage would be completely different: 300,000 kilometers per second, circling the Earth in just 0.13 seconds.

Let's set aside whether we can replace sound waves with radio waves, or even whether the idea itself is feasible.

But if he could really do it, he might need a few more Magic Satellite.

You don't need many, three are enough; three satellites are enough to cover the entire globe.

At that time, perhaps with just a thought from him, all living things on Earth will feel nauseous S.P.E.W. at the same time.

Or die at the same time.

Only highly skilled wizards, humans hiding in shelters, or Magic Magical Creature defenses can survive.

Global deterrence, one person.

Regulus shook his head slightly. The idea was good, but there were too many problems to solve between the idea and its realization.

How can Electromagnetic Wave carry Magic Power?

How can we ensure that the spell doesn't decay during transmission?

How can we precisely control the release from hundreds of thousands of kilometers away?

Magic Satellite are something the Wizarding World has never built; there's not even a theory about them.

How do we send it up? How do we maintain the track? How do we prevent it from being shot down?

There are also more fundamental questions: Can Magic Power travel that far from a wizard? Does the effectiveness of a spell decrease with distance?

Each problem requires many years of research, perhaps even a lifetime.

However, we can use this idea as a direction and try to see how far we can go.

If it really works out, then he alone...

It could be a global deterrent, but more likely, it would become an enemy of all humanity.

Neither wizards nor Muggle would allow this kind of Magic to exist, much less would they allow a wizard capable of Magic it to exist.

Regulus snapped out of his reverie; he'd been thinking too far ahead.

Finally, he thought of Freya.

It's been less than a month, but it feels like we've known each other for a long time. And now, the journey is over.

He could stay here and enjoy this relaxed life until school starts, patrolling daily, going out to sea, studying Magic, and bickering with Freya.

Sea breeze, sunshine, the sound of waves—no Voldemort, no Death Eaters, nothing that requires constant preparation.

But he didn't intend to do that.

Even if the atmosphere in UK is tense and oppressive, that's where he should be.

Black family is over there; he was born there, grew up there, and has things to do and paths to walk there.

This place is nice, but I can't stay here forever.

As for what changes the complete illumination of Bellatrix and the further refinement of Star Orbit Meditation brought about, he wasn't in a hurry to think about them.

Consciousness sank into the depths, the Star Orbit rotated, the Five Stars returned to their positions, Betelgeuse burned, Bellatrix Protection, and the Belt Stars connected.

Calm your mind and go to sleep.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already evening.

The sun was setting in the west, casting a golden path across the sea, while the clouds were tinged with orange-red, layering up to the horizon.

Regulus got up, straightened his clothes slightly, and walked out of the Cabin.

Not far away, Freya stood on the edge of the cliff.

She stood there for an unknown amount of time, her back to him, Great Sea, her platinum blonde braids hanging down her back, swaying slightly in the sea breeze.

The Sunset Afterglow cast its warm glow upon her, giving her dark gray hunting attire a touch of warmth.

Regulus walked over to her, and the two stood side by side.

He was a head shorter than her, so he had to look up to see her profile, but standing together, they didn't look out of place.

A boy, a young witch, one tall and upright, the other on the path to becoming tall and upright.

The setting sun shone from the side, casting long shadows of the two men, and neither of them spoke.

Regulus knew this was the moment of farewell.

It's been less than a month since we first met, which isn't actually that many days, but it feels like a long time.

Those patrol nights, those dinners in the tavern, that unspoken understanding.

Some people can spend years together and still not become close, while others feel like they've known each other for a lifetime after just a few days. Freya is the latter.

They all knew this wasn't the end, so saying goodbye was actually quite simple.

After standing there for an unknown amount of time, Freya spoke first, "Keep that skeleton."

Regulus looked at the sea. "I know."

"That's not what I meant," Freya tilted her head and lowered her gaze. "I meant that when you use it, they can sense your location, so don't try it randomly."

Regulus smirked. "Afraid I'll chat with them in the middle of the night because I can't sleep?"

Freya glared at him, her gaze as fierce as usual, but not truly fierce.

She stared for two seconds, then couldn't hold back; her lips twitched, but she quickly suppressed them.

She took something out of her bosom.

A small glass bottle, about the size of a thumb, contains a pinch of powder. The powder is grayish-blue and glitters in the sunset, like a small piece of the night sky contained in a bottle.

She handed the bottle to Regulus: "Take it back. It's okay if you can't figure it out."

Regulus took it and examined it against the light. The powder was very fine, so fine that the particles were almost invisible, like condensed smoke.

He put it in his pocket. "Did you figure it out?"

Freya didn't reply to him. She turned back to look at the sea, and after a moment of silence, said, "Actually, that the Dark Lord asked me to pass on a message to you."

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He said, "When you're ready, you can go see him."

Regulus's heart stirred slightly. What was he preparing? Sufficient strength, or preparing to face the situation?

He didn't show it on his face, but simply asked, "What are you preparing?"

Freya gazed at the distant horizon. "He said, you'll know, and he'll know too."

Regulus smiled, the Riddler.

But he didn't say it aloud; instead, he asked again, "What if Dumbledore won't allow it?"

Freya glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Regulus then asked, "What if I can't go because I haven't finished my homework?"

Freya's eyes widened as she stared at him, as if to confirm she hadn't misheard.

Operation?

I was talking to you about Grindelwald, and you're talking about homework?

Her eye twitched, she took a deep breath, and her chest heaved noticeably.

Freya did not intend to respond to this question.

Regulus was mostly serious, but occasionally something would slip out of his mouth that left her speechless.

It's not that I don't understand, but rather that even if I do understand, I don't know what to say, or I don't want to say anything, or I'm simply too lazy to say anything.

Then she said directly, "If—and I mean if—you feel uncomfortable when you see him, you can tell me."

This was said somewhat cryptically, but Regulus understood it.