I've Killed and Set Fires, but I'm a Good Person

Dumbledore explains the idea behind Transfiguration, while Regulus adds the physical considerations.

One is the height of Magic, the other is the perspective of Magic; these two directions collide and somehow merge together.

Dumbledore and more enthusiastic as he spoke, and Regulus listened with increasing fascination, and they lost track of how much time had passed.

Dumbledore stopped and looked at the sky, but he couldn't see anything; the fog was too thick, and all he could see was a white expanse overhead.

He clicked his tongue, somewhat regretfully. "There's not enough time."

He looked at Regulus with admiration in his eyes; he had gleaned a lot from those words.

Regulus was unlike any other young wizard he had ever met.

Those with high talent are often arrogant. Arrogance itself is not a problem, but it can easily lead to isolation.

They feel they've already reached a high position and disdain looking down at things inferior to themselves.

Those from well-off families are often stubborn; the values they are instilled with from childhood become their only perspective on the world.

Everything outside of Magic is Muggle, everything Muggle is vulgar, and everything vulgar is not worth looking at.

But Regulus was not like that.

He can use Magic, and he can also transcend Magic. Those Muggle ways of thinking, those things outside of Magic, are not inferior in his hands, just different.

If it's useful, use it; if it works well, keep using it.

He didn't know how Regulus developed such a way of thinking; it was clearly not in line with the Black family's education, and such ideas were not found in the Hogwarts education system.

But this attitude reassured Dumbledore.

A person who is not confined by their own talents will not be confined by Magic itself; a person who is not Restraints by traditional ideas will not be Restraints by anyone.

He knows who he is, what he wants, and how to get things. A person like that won't go astray.

It's also likable.

Dumbledore has lived so long and has seen so many people.

Most people live in their own world, rarely looking up, and even less looking outward.

Regulus was the kind of person who not only looked up and outward, but also made what he saw a part of himself.

Talking to someone like that is effortless, and giving them something ensures it won't be wasted.

Watching him walk forward makes you wonder how far he can go.

Dumbledore, a look of satisfaction in his eyes, extended his arm. "Well then, Regulus, it's about time; we should go."

Regulus was still reeling from what Dumbledore had just said; it had opened a door for him.

Complex Transfiguration, borrowing animal characteristics, allows the body itself to adapt to flight.

This is not just a simple improvement; it's thinking from a different perspective.

If this can be achieved, his Flying Device will not just be Flying Device; it will become an extension of his body.

He snapped out of his reverie, put those thoughts aside, and then stretched out his arm, making the same gesture as Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at him, his expression turning amused, his eyebrows slightly raised, and the smile in his eyes deepening.

Regulus didn't speak. His chest began to glow, and a silvery-white light surged from his body, growing brighter and more concentrated.

The rays of light converged and took shape before him.

Starry Sky Kite.

Its silvery-white wings were fully spread, every feather clearly visible, with starlight flowing along their edges.

It perched on Regulus's shoulder, tilted its head to look at Dumbledore, and then let out a clear, cheerful, affectionate, and slightly curious cry.

It called out to Dumbledore, as if to greet him.

Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the silvery-white bird, something gleaming in them.

The Starry Sky Kite perched on Regulus's shoulder for a moment, then flapped its wings and flew up, circling once above Dumbledore's head.

The starlight fell down, landing on Dumbledore's moon-white robes, as if draping the old man in a thin layer of light.

Dumbledore looked at the scattered starlight, and then he understood what Regulus meant.

Even if Patronus of this caliber and with this level of application possesses vast amounts of Dark Arts and has delved deeply into its depths, it proves nothing in the face of this pure light.

Dumbledore looked at Regulus, his gaze softening.

This child must have experienced something wonderful during the holidays to make their Patronus shine so brightly.

He couldn't help but smile.

He deliberately restrained his Magic Power; any resistance could cause the Patronus's journey to fail. He made the Magic Power completely still, like a calm lake.

Regulus sensed this, and gave Dumbledore a satisfied yet slightly smug look.

Dumbledore chuckled and caught it.

After circling once, the Starry Sky Kite flew back to Regulus's head. It paused in the air for a moment, then swooped down and crashed straight into Regulus.

The moment they collided, a burst of silvery-white light erupted, enveloping Regulus entirely.

Then the light contracted and disappeared, along with Regulus.

Dumbledore stood there, looking down at his robes, which still bore traces of starlight.

He stretched out his finger and gently touched it; the starlight flickered on his fingertip for a moment, then disappeared.

Dumbledore smiled, and then he disappeared.

The weather in Provence today is unbelievably beautiful.

The sky looked as if it had been washed clean, a bright, clear blue that made you want to keep looking up at it.

There were very few clouds; the few that drifted by were thin and lazy, slowly moving eastward.

Sunlight poured down from above, bathing the entire valley in a warm golden glow.

The lavender has been harvested, and the endless expanse of purple is gone.

But along the field ridges and in the cracks between the rocks, grayish-green branches and leaves still remain, and when the wind blows, you can still smell a faint fragrance.

In the distance are the Luberon Mountains, their reddish-brown rocks gleaming warmly in the sunlight, layer upon layer like the rings of the earth.

The mountains are not high, but their lines are gentle and they rise and fall, connecting the sky and the earth.

Occasionally, an eagle will swoop down the mountain ridge, its wings spread, drawing a black silhouette against the blue sky.

At the foot of the mountain, a stone house stands quietly, its exterior walls covered with wisteria.

There are no flowers this season, only vines and leaves, densely covering the stone wall, their varying shades of green translucent in the sunlight.

When the wind blows, the leaves rustle as if they are whispering secrets.

The courtyard was small, surrounded by a low stone wall, the top of which was covered with moss.

A few olive trees were planted in the corner of the wall, their trunks crooked and their branches outstretched, casting sparse shadows on the ground.

The whole scene is languid, relaxed, and free, as if time slows down here.

A silvery-white light suddenly appeared and then disappeared, Regulus and Dumbledore appeared in a clearing at the foot of the mountain.

Dumbledore looked up at the sky, then at the distant mountains, and took a deep breath. "A wonderful feeling."

He looked at Regulus and chuckled, "Starry Sky Kite, how amazing."

Regulus nodded in agreement, then asked, "Professor, what does it feel like for the Phoenix to move?"

Dumbledore blinked. "You want to know?"

Regulus nodded; of course he wanted to, after all, it was Phoenix.

Dumbledore laughed even harder, "Then you'll have to ask Fawkes yourself. He likes you a lot and probably misses his little friend."

Regulus paused for a moment.

He recalled what Dumbledore had said in the Headmaster's Office last semester: the Phoenix can see souls, and it is close to pure and warm hearts.

Regulus's heart stirred slightly. If the Phoenix could see souls, what did it see in him?

How will he be different now compared to last time?

He made up his mind to go back and get to Fawkes better.

Dumbledore looked at him thoughtfully and smiled without saying a word.

The two looked into the distance together.

Over at the stone house, people were busy at work.

Several figures went in and out, carrying something.

A white gauze curtain was tied to the low stone wall in the courtyard, fluttering slightly in the wind.

Someone is arranging flowers, white and pink, piled up on the ground.

Wedding preparations are underway.

Dumbledore looked over there, his gaze softening. He knew why Regulus had come to France.

Andromeda Black's wedding.

Black family the three Black sisters in this generation, Bellatrix will marry Lestrange, Narcissa will marry Malfoy.

They are all core members of Pureblood families, and their choices align with the family's expectations.

Only Andromeda chose a different path, becoming a Muggle-born wizard.

In the eyes of the Black family, this was betrayal, defilement, and an unforgivable sin.

According to the Black family tradition, she should have been removed from the family by now, burned off the famous Tapestry, and erased from the family's memory, as if she had never existed.

But Regulus still came.

The child stood in the sunlight, his profile serene, his gaze fixed on the wedding venue in the distance.

His face was expressionless, but there was something in his eyes; he was truly looking at her.

He came to his cousin's wedding, even though his family didn't accept her, even though his presence might be discovered by his family and he might be reprimanded.

But he still came.

Dumbledore looked at Regulus's profile, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him—gratification, emotion, and something else entirely.

Regulus knew Dumbledore was watching him, but that didn't stop him from thinking about his own things.

Dumbledore today was all good.

The advanced application of the Patronus, needless to say, its pure warmth and ability to transport people through space is enough to prove that there is light in his heart.

Dumbledore had any doubts, seeing this should shut him up.

Now he sees himself attending Andromeda's wedding, and he sees how much he values family.

He came for his cousin, even though his family disowned her.

This is probably Dumbledore would like to see, but Regulus knows there's an information gap involved.

Dumbledore was unaware of his true situation at the Black family.

In the old man's view, he might be taking a risk, going against the family's wishes, and doing what he believed was right under pressure.

But actually, he can come whenever he wants; there's absolutely nothing to worry about.

Andromeda's address was given to him by Orion in a letter, and the news of the marriage was also told to him by Orion.

That's not just tacit approval; it's giving him the choice and letting him decide for himself.

Regulus knew his father wouldn't use those old rules to constrain him; his father would simply tell him what to do and let him choose how to do it.

So what happened today might have been a heartwarming scene in Dumbledore's eyes, but for Regulus it was just something he did on a whim.

Regulus's lips curled up slightly. Perfect; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

He knew all too well what Dumbledore wanted to see.

This old man always talks about love and always likes positive, uplifting, and beautiful things.

He values people's inner world, their choices, and everything that makes people feel there is still hope in the world.

Regulus sometimes thought that Dumbledore couldn't possibly be unaware of the complexities of human nature.

Humans are complex.

A person can have a heart so dark it has no light at all, yet do only good deeds, for profit, for reputation, or for some other scheming.

A person can have an incredibly soft heart, yet do nothing but bad things, because of weakness, fear, or being driven to desperation.

But most people are in the middle, with both light and darkness in their hearts, doing both right and wrong, sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Dumbledore has lived for so many years, how could he not understand these things, but he still values them.

Value the light, value love, value the choice itself.

Regulus thought that the old man had probably long since passed the stage where he needed to distinguish between good and evil.

He knows that people are complex and that everyone has multiple facets, but he still chooses to focus on the good aspects.

Perhaps in Dumbledore's eyes, as long as a wizard has light, love, and family affection in his heart, then he is good.

Then you can be accepted, nurtured, and trusted.

Conversely, it could be bad, and something to be wary of.

Just like Tom Riddle.

But that's perfect. Dumbledore likes to see these things, so let him see them. After all, they're not fake.

The Starry Sky Kite was real, its light was real, and the feeling of freedom, warmth, and purity was real.

It's true that he came to Andromeda's wedding, not for any other reason than the kindness she had shown him years ago.

As for what kind of person he really is...

He's killed people, he's skilled with Fiendfyre, and his Severing Charm, a Magic developed purely for killing, may have gone beyond the realm of Dark Arts.

But the Patronus is real, and the concern for family ties is real too.

He has light in his heart, therefore he is a good person.

He snapped out of his thoughts.

In the distance, the wedding preparations were still in full swing.

Someone tied a large bouquet of white flowers to the gate, while others adjusted the position of the gauze curtains; the sunlight cast long shadows of their busy activity.

Regulus looked in that direction, no longer thinking about those irrelevant things.

The Lord of Water-Strengthening presents <Hogwarts: Regulus, Lord of the Starry Sky>, exclusively first released by Cola!