I know who I am

Regulus didn't say anything more; he was thinking about what he had just seen.

Werewolf, or more accurately, Lycanthropy.

A Magic disease, not innate to Ministry of Magic as XXXXX, extremely dangerous, and untamable, but dangerous only on the night of a full moon; in human form, it is no different from an ordinary person.

Its origin is unknown; some say Norse, others Western Europe, but now it can be found all over the world.

The transmission method is very simple: if bitten by Werewolf in wolf form during a full moon, the saliva enters the bloodstream; scratches will not cause infection.

Bill Weasley was scratched by Greyback in his human form, but he only developed a wolfish tendency and a love for raw meat; he didn't become Werewolf.

It's not hereditary; Lupin's son, Teddy, is perfectly fine, nothing's wrong with him.

It is not transmitted through blood, nor through bodily fluids, and Werewolf cannot even produce Werewolf.

Regulus thought that the propagation mechanism of this thing was quite ingeniously designed.

Just take that one bite.

If bitten, and not treated promptly, you die instantly; if treated promptly, you become Werewolf for life.

There is no middle ground, and there is no cure.

Silver Instruments plus Dittany is the only effective treatment, and it must be used immediately after the bite; otherwise, it will be ineffective.

The danger of Werewolf lies in their uncontrollability and contagiousness, as well as their powerful Magic resistance, which is comparable to that of ordinary wizards.

But there is one point that Regulus believes is worth considering.

A Lupin is a normal person before the full moon, a beast on the full moon, and a normal person again after the full moon.

What exactly is Werewolf?

Is it human who loses control one night a month, or beast who recovers one night a month?

This question is no longer just about Magic; it even has a philosophical flavor.

In defining it, you are actually defining yourself.

If you call it human, you have to accept that it transforms into a beast every month; if you call it a beast, you have to accept that it transforms into a human every month.

Regulus's thoughts were wandering.

In theory, the Magic Power that Werewolf uses to transform is purely instinctive.

If we could use methods like Legilimency to create an Isolation Zone within the mind, locking the werewolf inside and allowing human thought to dominate the Werewolf's body, wouldn't that make it controllable?

Alternatively, human thought could be incorporated, with an observation window so that during transformation, the Werewolf could operate like a machine, sitting in the cockpit and looking outside.

Although it was still out of control, it must have been a rather novel experience for the Dark Lord inside.

Regulus imagined that scene.

Lupin transformed into Werewolf, but his consciousness remained. He watched his body struggle on the chains like a spectator, and it's unclear what he felt.

The idea only flashed through his mind before he suppressed it.

That's incredibly difficult, beyond just a little bit.

He knows how difficult it is because he's done it before.

He confined Dong Xiguan, the one Dark Enlightenment, to the Isolation Zone, using Virtual Persona to reach him, while he observed from behind an observation window—that was the limit of what he could currently do.

To keep the Main Consciousness conscious during an outburst while simultaneously controlling the body, what's needed might not just be isolation, but also coexistence.

It's several levels higher than Legilimency.

He then thought of Animagus.

Twenty years later, Lupin said that Werewolf transformation and Animagus transformation are fundamentally different; one is forced, and the other is voluntary.

From a Magic Power perspective, however, both represent a transformation from human form to animal form.

If a Werewolf first trains to become Animagus and transforms into some kind of animal, what will he transform into on the night of a full moon?

Does it mean becoming a wolf, or Werewolf version of that animal?

If Animagus were a hamster, would it become Hamster Werewolf?

The size of a fist, with a mouth full of sharp teeth, it pounces on anyone it sees?

If it's a jellyfish, will it grow fangs?

Transparent, floating in the air, and one sip is all poison?

Regulus's lips twitched; he seemed somewhat intrigued.

Then he thought of something else: Fenrir Greyback.

The most ferocious Werewolf under Voldemort's command, specializing in Attacks children and creating more Werewolf to fight against wizarding society.

Lupin was bitten by him when he was five years old, and his life changed from that moment on.

But Regulus didn't care about that; he was thinking about something else.

Why didn't Voldemort choose a place, like the subcontinent that UK was very familiar with, where the weather was hot, the population was dense, the smell was unique, and there were large slums that the Ministry of Magic couldn't manage?

Take control of a village or a block in that area, and throw Greyback in.

On the night of the full moon, take a bite.

Even if it can only bite ten people at a time, after a month, those ten people will turn into Werewolf, and it can bite again on the next full moon night.

How much will it be in one year?

Regulus was lost in thought, his face expressionless.

He simply found it amusing, and felt at ease letting his mind wander next to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood beside him, watching Regulus's profile.

He had just said it was too ugly, and then fell silent, his eyes fixed on the Shrieking Shack not far away, his pupils unfocused, clearly deep in thought.

Dumbledore didn't disturb him, which made him somewhat relieved.

It seems this child isn't as completely indifferent as he appeared earlier; though he said it was too ugly, he still cares.

Seeing your peers turn out like that is always somewhat touching.

Dumbledore had no idea what Regulus was thinking.

He might be a little surprised if he knew about those ideas about exponentially creating Werewolf, Hamster Werewolf, and Jellyfish Fangs.

But he didn't know.

He simply looked at the twelve-year-old boy in the early morning of a full moon night.

Standing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, I fell into deep thought.

After a while, Regulus snapped out of his thoughts, "Professor, I have a question."

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes gentle.

"I was just thinking, what if we used Legilimency to create an Isolation Zone within the mind, locking the Werewolf in its transformed state inside, and letting human consciousness take the lead? Would that be feasible?"

Dumbledore looked at him, a glint of light in his eyes. "You're thinking about how to keep Werewolf sane during his transformation?"

Regulus nodded. "Yes, Professor."

"Theoretically, yes," Dumbledore said. "Legilimency can indeed do this, allowing a person's consciousness to occupy a stable position in the Spiritual World, unaffected by external shocks."

But there are two problems.

"First, the essence of Werewolf transformation does not come from the outside, but from an internal transformation. Magic Power changes, the body changes, and cognition changes."

It's not someone knocking on the door from the outside; it's your own door and room transforming into something else. Legilimency can't handle this.

"Second," Dumbledore continued, "Even if a person's mind can remain clear, their body will not obey them."

Werewolf's body has its own instincts and its own will; if you're trapped inside, you can't do anything."

He looked at Regulus: "Your approach is on the right track, but achieving it requires something deeper than Legilimency."

"The wizard's will must override his instincts, and his consciousness must take over a body that doesn't belong to him."

Dumbledore's gaze drifted further afield. "A wizard capable of this level cannot be Werewolf, and Werewolf will never reach that level."

Regulus pondered these words, overriding his instincts, taking over what wasn't his own.

He recalled a concept he'd had last year: a variant of the Imperius Curse that didn't take over, but rather replaced it. Could that be done?

He thought about it for a moment, but didn't say it aloud. He figured he could give it a try.

Dumbledore continued, with a hint of a sigh in his voice, "Among the Werewolf, very few possess advanced Magic."

Their living conditions are too poor; abandoned by their families and ostracized by society, they live a life of hiding and hiding. How could they possibly have the mind to learn Legilimency?

"Remus is lucky," Dumbledore said. "His parents were willing to give anything for him, and I was able to protect him at school, but not every Werewolf child is so lucky."

Hearing him say that, a thought suddenly flashed through Regulus's mind.

Dumbledore was inclusive, but this inclusiveness had its limits.

Lupin is certainly not the only child infected with Lycanthropy from a young age, but he is the only one who has been truly accepted, protected, and given the opportunity to attend school normally.

It wasn't that Dumbledore didn't want to help; Regulus believed that Dumbledore would lend a hand if given the opportunity.

He simply couldn't help them, or rather, those people couldn't even get to him.

Regulus pondered these questions, then asked, "Professor, what kind of foundation is needed for what you just said about letting will override instinct?"

Dumbledore's eyes held a hint of appreciation. "You've hit the nail on the head."

He continued, "Willpower overrides instinct. The core issue isn't the strength of your Magic Power, but how clear your self-awareness is."

The clearer you are about who you are, what you want, and what you are willing to give up for, the stronger your will will be.

"A wizard's exploration of the spiritual realm ultimately returns to this question: Who are you? What kind of person do you want to become?"

He looked Regulus into the eyes. "Do you have an answer?"

Regulus thought for a moment, then said, "I know who I am, but I'm still wondering what kind of person I can become."

Dumbledore smiled. "It's already very good."

He looked up at the Forbidden Forest in the distance; the moon was already obscured by the treetops.

"Many people go through their entire lives without ever knowing who they are, but you understand this at your age, which puts you ahead of many adult wizards."

Regulus simply nodded.

After a while, Regulus asked again, "Professor, what do what you just said—willpower overriding instinct, clear self-awareness—have to do with Legilimency?"

Dumbledore to look at him. "Legilimency is a tool; it helps you build a barrier, helps you isolate yourself from external shocks, but it doesn't help you understand yourself."

"The true spiritual realm is about using these tools to explore yourself. The more you understand yourself, the stronger the barriers become. Conversely, the stronger the barriers become, the clearer you can see yourself."

"It's a cycle. At the beginning, you need tools to protect yourself; later on, you yourself become the barrier."

Regulus pondered these words.

Dumbledore was revealing to him a deeper concept in the spiritual realm, that he himself was the barrier.

He understood; the gist of it was that when self-awareness is clear enough and the self is strong enough, one can naturally resist external harm.

This is similar to the feeling I had when I lit up Bellatrix.

What I am is simply the self, isn't it?

He just can't do what Dumbledore said yet.

His "I" am the one being Protection, not the one who has become the Protection.

But perhaps one day, his mental realm can become like the Constant Shield Charm it is now.

There's no need to deliberately extract Starry Sky Imagery; it's already there, making Protection an instinct.

By then, perhaps he will no longer need to deliberately perform Legilimency, or rather, Legilimency.

He thought for a moment, then pulled himself out of his thoughts.

In the distance, four figures emerged from the Shrieking Shack.

James and Sirius supported Lupin as they walked step by step toward the Castle.

Lupin walked with his head down, his steps unsteady, as if all his energy had been drained. James and Sirius walked slowly, each step matching Lupin's rhythm.

Peter Pettigrew followed behind, looking around curiously.

Regulus glanced at it.

Dawn was approaching; the eastern horizon was already turning grayish-white, and the moon was still hanging in the west, but its color had faded considerably.

Dumbledore looked away, then at him with a smile in his eyes, "Let's go to the Forbidden Forest another time. You'll definitely sneak out again in the middle of the night anyway."

Regulus's lips twitched slightly. "Professor, good morning."

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "Good morning, Regulus."

Don't get lost while following the story; bookmark it and read <Hogwarts: Regulus, Lord of the Starry Sky> anytime.