Really Want to Laugh

At 8 PM, the Room of Requirement.

It's been almost a week since school started, and this is the first time Avery and Alex have come.

It wasn't that they only started to settle down after a week of fun and felt it was time to get down to business; Avery simply hadn't had enough fun yet.

It was Alex. He brought it up last night, saying he wanted to continue practicing under Regulus's guidance.

He's always been a bit sensitive.

Dumbledore's speech at the start of the semester, the newly added Defense Against the Dark Arts course, and the occasional glances exchanged between the upperclassmen in the Corridor.

And in the Slytherin common room, there was an indescribable atmosphere; some people were excited, some were nervous, and some pretended nothing had happened.

Alex could sense that unsettling atmosphere was indeed spreading.

Of course, not all young wizards are like that.

Those who only know how to play all day can't possibly have any of this in their minds. They finish their homework, get decent grades on tests, but what else can they do with their remaining time besides playing?

But Alex is different. Even the gentlest Pure-bloods is still Pure-bloods, and even if he doesn't want to cause trouble, he's still Slytherin.

Whether out of inner unease or a desire to gain the power to protect himself and his family, he felt it was time to learn some real skills.

Besides, having someone like Regulus by your side would be a waste not to make use of him; others wouldn't even have such an opportunity.

Alex sometimes wondered if he hadn't been assigned to Regulus's Dormitory, and if someone else had been in that position, Regulus would have included that the Dark Lord in his group as well.

He was just lucky and took advantage of his Dormitory, but Regulus once said, luck is also a part of ability.

He felt that this statement couldn't be more true, so a week after the start of the semester, he took the initiative to speak up.

And what about Avery?

Avery had a great holiday and continued playing when school started. They spent their days together, but at night, when Regulus and Hermes disappeared, he selectively ignored them.

If you want to play, there are so many things to do.

Quidditch, Wizard's Chess, Exploding Snap, and the unexplored corners of the Castle.

I might arrange to play a few friendly matches with the guys from the next Dormitory, or I might just lie on the sofa in the Common Room and do absolutely nothing.

He was doing well, but he wasn't stupid.

Regulus was the center of the small group, that was already clear, but in terms of numbers, they were only two to two.

He was paired with Alex, and Regulus was paired with Hermes, making it two to two. If someone is working hard, then someone else has to not work hard.

But Alex was going anyway, and he couldn't let himself be the one left out.

Moreover, he knew that such an opportunity was indeed rare.

The Cuthbert family has no shortage of resources. If someone wants to learn any Magic, they can teach them at home. Even if that's not possible, they can hire the best teachers and find the most comprehensive collection of books.

But those things are different from Regulus can teach.

The teacher was paid to teach him, but Regulus taught him because he considered him one of his own.

Avery knew perfectly well what was going on, which is why he came too.

Regulus looked at them and knew what was going on.

One reason was insecurity, wanting to gain a sense of security through training; the other was not wanting to be alone, so they came along too.

But in any case, it's better to come on your own initiative than anything else.

He never forces anyone to do anything. Strength must be acquired by oneself; you can't learn anything real if you're forced to train by others.

He could still use some tactics on Sirius, give him a taste of the difference, and make him want to become stronger.

But he wouldn't do that with others; at most, he would interfere to a limited extent.

Now they come on their own initiative; even though it's only been a week since school started, these young wizards are already willingly focusing on training.

Regulus felt a little gratified; the child was capable of doing serious work and deserved praise.

"Let's have a spar first," he said. "Let me see how much you've improved over the weekend."

Avery and Alex exchanged a glance and drew their wands.

Regulus stepped aside and watched them.

Actually, you don't even need to look to know; a simple scan with your Magic Perception is enough to sense their condition.

There has been progress, but that's a natural consequence of getting older, and has little to do with whether or not I practiced during the holidays.

That's typical second-grade level, at best considered excellent.

Avery struck first. "Expelliarmus!"

A beam of red light shot towards Alex, Alex dodged to the side, simultaneously shouting, "Impedimenta!"

Avery was hit, but only paused for a moment before breaking free and casting a Stunning Spell in return.

The two started fighting.

The incantation was shouted loudly and with great momentum. The movement was also a bit better than last semester; the person knew to dodge to the sides and find cover.

Occasionally, I can dodge the opponent's spells, and occasionally I can launch one or two impressive attacks.

But in Regulus's eyes, it was too slow.

The incantations were soft and gentle, yet their trajectories in the air were so clear it was as if someone were playing them in slow motion.

Speed, force, precision—none of them are enough.

He even thought that if a Muggle or Squib of the same age were trained for a few days, they might be able to get close enough to take them down.

Regulus shouted, "Stop!"

The two stopped fighting, both slightly out of breath.

Avery smiled at Alex, "Not bad, you've improved quite a bit."

Alex smiled too, a shy smile, his face slightly flushed. "You're amazing too."

Both players felt they had played very well, were evenly matched, and enjoyed a very exciting match.

Hermes watched from the side, his lips twitching; he really wanted to shake his head.

Those two definitely didn't do anything productive during their vacation; their skill level... well, never mind.

Regulus ignored them, walked to the door, and pushed it open. "Come with me."

The three followed him out, and when they pushed the door open again to come back in, the scene before them had changed.

A spacious Training Ground, surrounded by stone walls, with light overhead, but not glaring.

In the center of the arena, a dozen or so Wooden Dummy, as tall as a person, stood motionless, each holding a fake magic wand.

"This is Practice Field," Regulus said. "The dummies can move and Spellcasting. The spells have a fixed strength and won't hurt you, but you'll feel the effects if you get hit."

He looked at Avery and Alex: "You two go in and practice until you can stay inside for ten minutes without getting hit."

Avery looked at the mannequins and swallowed hard. "Ten minutes?"

"Not enough?" Regulus looked at him. "Then twenty minutes."

<Hogwarts: Regulus, Lord of the Starry Sky> is currently being serialized on Cola and is not to be missed!

Avery immediately shut up.

Regulus continued, "Don't try to take it head-on. The dummies are shooting Disarming Charm and Slowing Charm. If you get hit, your wand will be knocked out of your hand, or you'll be immobilized."

If you can't dodge, use the Shield Charm to block, but the Shield Charm consumes Magic Power and won't last long.

"Try to use the terrain, the gaps between the dummies, and the intervals between their Spellcasting."

"Go in."

Avery and Alex exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the Training Ground.

The dummy immediately turned towards them.

Regulus watched for a while, then thought, "Hmm, that'll be enough for them."

Then he turned to Hermes: "Let's fight."

Hermes looked at him but didn't move.

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Hermes hesitated for a moment; he was thinking about something.

He has indeed made great progress during the holidays. Through training and real combat, he has witnessed real danger. If he were to face his past self from last semester, he could probably kill him in just a few moves.

But thinking about it carefully, even with these improvements, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference in a fight against Regulus.

The gap is too big.

In that duel last semester, he had given it his all, and Regulus barely even touched his wand. Now he's improved, but what about Regulus?

Only a week into the semester, he witnessed firsthand what Regulus was doing in Potions Class. It wasn't just a matter of progress; it was something else entirely.

What can you learn by fighting him?

Regulus sensed his hesitation. "Just attack."

Since Regulus had said so, Hermes no longer hesitated. "Alright."

He drew his wand, took a few steps back, and assumed a starting stance, but another thought flashed through his mind.

Perhaps it won't reveal Regulus's true strength, but at least it will allow Regulus to see his own progress.

Hermes made his move, and his first spell was Dark Arts: "Blood Boil!"

A dark red beam of light shot from the tip of his staff, heading straight for Regulus's chest.

He practiced this spell throughout the entire vacation, and its power was much greater than last semester, and the Spellcasting speed was also much faster.

But Regulus didn't move. The spell hit him, but it was blocked by something. A very faint Silver Light flashed, and the dark red beam dissipated, leaving nothing behind.

Hermes didn't stop; a second attack followed immediately. "Shadow Eater!"

Black tentacles emerged from the ground, attempting to entangle Regulus's ankles, but Regulus lifted his foot and then brought it down, crushing the tentacles.

Hermes shifted his position, Spellcasting as he moved. "Shadow Rend!"

A black blade of light slashed diagonally across.

"Corrosive Touch!"

A dark green mist spread out.

"Blood-Boiling Curse!"

"Bone-Eroding Curse!"

"The Disemboweling Curse!"

He chanted incantations one after another, all of which he had practiced during his vacation. Some were fast, some were slow, some came from the front, and some from the side.

Their movement became more agile, constantly shifting and changing angles.

Magic Power control has been significantly improved, and spell power is sufficient.

Regulus simply kept walking forward.

The wand was held in my hand, never raised, and the Shield Charm was not activated; at least, there was no obvious semi-transparent barrier.

The spells struck him, but only occasionally did a flash of Silver Light appear.

The Constant Shield Charm is different from before.

After Bellatrix AM, the biggest change is in defensive Magic; Protection itself seems to become instinctive.

As the spells were cast, Silver Light automatically illuminated and blocked them.

He doesn't need to do anything.

Hermes ' attack was fierce; Regulus could sense that he had indeed put in the effort.

He used those Dark Arts much more skillfully than last semester, and his intentions were much more concealed. There were a few spells that he sensed were already about to hit him.

But that's about it; not fast enough, not strong enough, not sudden enough, not profound enough.

Hermes ' spells began to weaken, and his movements slowed down, clearly indicating that his Magic Power and stamina were being greatly depleted.

Regulus stopped in his tracks. "That's enough."

Regulus walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "Great progress."

Hermes looked up at him.

"The spell's power has doubled compared to last semester, its Spellcasting speed is faster, its movement is more agile, and it knows how to conceal its intentions. There were a few spells that I didn't even notice before it was already right in front of me."

Hermes' lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh.

But his smile had a gloomy quality to it. Sweat dripped down his face, his hair clung to his forehead, and he looked somewhat disheveled. That smile looked like a sinister grin.

He knew it himself, so he stopped laughing and took a breath.

Regulus continued, "But there's a problem."

Hermes looked at him, waiting for him to point it out.

"You rely too much on the power of Dark Arts," Regulus said. "Every spell you cast aims for maximum damage, which results in your Magic Power being consumed too quickly."

Towards the end, you won't even be able to unleash a third of your full power.

Hermes thought about it and agreed.

"Control the rhythm. Use powerful spells when necessary and less powerful spells when appropriate. Don't let your opponent figure out your pattern."

Hermes nodded again.

Regulus patted him on the shoulder. "Take a break."

The two looked towards the Training Ground, where Avery and Alex were desperately trying to escape from a pile of mannequins.

Avery's wand had flown away, and he was bent over searching for it on the ground. A dummy was chasing after him, its fake wand constantly firing spells. Avery dodged and cursed, spewing profanities.

Alex was slightly better off; he still had his wand in his hand, but he was cornered by three dummies and could only rely on his Shield Charm to withstand the attack. The Shield Charm was almost broken, and he was pale and sweating profusely.

Another spell struck, Alex's Shield Charm shattered, and he was frozen in place, unable to move.

A dummy walked over, raised a fake wand, and pointed it at his face.

Avery finally found his wand, but as soon as he straightened up, he was struck by a Disarming Charm, and the wand flew away again.

He shouted even louder.

Regulus watched this scene unfold.

Hermes, standing nearby, twitched his lips again.

This time I genuinely want to laugh.