Using Bellatrix as Feed

Orion's gaze fell on the wand, looked at it for a moment, and then shifted to Sirius.

He remained half-up, his arm dangling in mid-air, his finger still pointing at Regulus, his mouth agape, and his eyes fixed on him. Orion looked at Regulus again.

Regulus had turned back, relaxed, with a relaxed expression, as if he were at ease chatting after finishing his business.

Orion then looked at Kreacher.

Beside the desk, the House-elf hung its head and hands, its two large ears almost drooping to its shoulders, its whole body bent into an arc, just like when it was called over to obey commands.

Orion was already used to it.

Kreacher's influence is evident everywhere in this house.

Kreacher lit the fireplace every morning, Kreacher the books in the Study, and Kreacher the meals on the table.

The staircases, Corridor, floors, walls, windows, door handles—everywhere you can see in this old house was cleaned by them.

Orion had certainly seen the House-elf Magic.

Kreacher used it dozens of times a day in the old house; the Magic was quiet and gentle, filling every corner of the house like air. But he never thought it could do anything else, nor did he ever verify whether it was possible, because he had never considered that direction.

It's simply useful, like talking furniture, like a walking Broomstick, like a pipe that swallows all the trivialities.

This has been the way Pureblood families have done for generations: entrusting the house to the House-elf, the cubs to the House-elf, and the entire family's livelihood to them. For hundreds of years, there have been no problems.

But just now, Kreacher snapped his fingers, and Sirius's wand flew out.

Sirius was certainly far from being strong; as a third-year student, his combat experience was practically zero, but he was indeed disarmed.

A House-elf, in the instant before he even had a chance to touch the wand.

For centuries, Pureblood families have built their sense of security on the assumption that House-elf are absolutely obedient, absolutely loyal, and will never pose a threat to their the Master.

No one has verified this hypothesis because no one realizes it is a hypothesis.

It was taken for granted as a fact, as a natural law, as self-evident as the sun rising in the east.

Orion turned his gaze from Kreacher to Regulus's face.

He didn't ask Regulus how he knew Kreacher could do it, nor did he ask Kreacher any questions.

He tucked this matter away in a corner of his heart, placing it alongside things he didn't need to bring up for the time being but should remember.

He raised his hand and waved.

Kreacher bowed deeply and disappeared without a sound.

The green flames in the fireplace flickered twice, and the Study fell silent for a moment, the Portrait on the wall dozing off.

Orion looked at Regulus, waiting for him to speak.

Sirius remained frozen in place, neither of them glancing at him again.

Regulus didn't speak immediately. He stared at the wand for a while, then looked up, his expression and tone calm.

"I ignited a spirit in school."

He paused, then added, "You can see it now."

Orion's hand, which was holding the teacup, froze in mid-air. He put the teacup down, neither drinking nor speaking.

silence.

Regulus continued, " In France, after my cousin Andromeda's wedding, Dumbledore took me to see Nicolas Flamel." Orion shifted his posture, leaning forward, folding his hands, and resting his arms on the table.

Nicolas Flamel, the pinnacle of Alchemy, a wizard who lived for over six hundred years, and the creator of the Philosopher's Stone.

Dumbledore's old friend, the one who ranks first among the living legends.

The significance of this name in the Wizarding World needs no explanation.

Orion himself had only heard of the man, knew that he was still alive, and knew that he lived in seclusion somewhere in Paris.

But she never imagined that one day this name would be associated with her son.

"Flamel told me that the soul needs to be fed; it can eat," Regulus's voice echoed in the Study.

"Eat what you've experienced, eat what you've chosen, eat what you absolutely refuse to let go of."

Orion listened.

"I thought about it for a while. Interacting with the outside world and exerting influence is feeding it. And it shouldn't passively receive; it should actively push outwards. Every time I influence people and things outside, every time I make them change their judgments, actions, and outcomes because of my existence, the soul is nourished."

The more it eats, the stronger it becomes.

Orion remained silent for a long time.

The green flame in the fireplace flickered, then flickered again, its light illuminating his face and casting a shadow on the wall.

Regulus said to ignite the soul, he meant it; when he said to see, he meant it.

This son never says he can't do something, nor does he ever explain what he hasn't accomplished.

soul.

Orion certainly knew what the soul was all about.

In the tradition of Magic, the soul is never discussed as an independent subject, because it is omnipresent and permeates every Magic, and cannot be discussed separately.

All spells, from the most basic Levitation Charm to the most profound Dark Arts and White Magic, are ultimately the wizard's will intervening in the world through Magic Power. When a wizard Spellcasting, Magic Power is the medium, and the spell is the key.

But what truly makes a spell this spell and not another is the will of the one Spellcasting.

Where does willpower come from?

From the soul, the root of Magic.

Hogwarts taught Magic for seven years, from first year to seventh year. They learned hundreds of spells, from Transfiguration from needle to match to Human Transfiguration, Potions from treating boils to Polyjuice Potion.

But no lesson teaches the soul, because it cannot.

Knowing that the soul exists is one thing, but being able to perceive it, see it, touch it, or even actively nourish it is quite another. For most wizards, their soul is like a stone sunk to the bottom of the water; they know it exists, but they can't see it, touch it, let alone retrieve it and raise it.

Orion himself was the same way.

He knew that the soul could grow stronger—that was no secret—but the distance between knowing and doing was farther than the distance from Grimmauld Place to Hogwarts. All he could do was protect.

Prevent the soul from being corrupted, and prevent it from being degraded in the process of coming into contact with darkness.

This is what the main branch of the Black family has been doing for generations: learning Dark Arts, but not becoming addicted; navigating Pure-bloods politics, but not being consumed by it; staying clear-headed, maintaining distance, and ensuring they are not changed.

Toujours Pur.

Of course, not entirely.

Bellatrix is not.

She embraced Dark Arts, throwing herself entirely into it, her soul being stretched into the shape Voldemort desired.

But this main branch has remained the same for generations, guarding the boundaries and protecting themselves.

This is something that almost all Pureblood families with a lineage do.

Dark Arts corrupts the soul; this is common sense, as common sense as fire burning your hand.

It's okay to touch fire, but you can't put your hand in and not take it out.

Most Pureblood families choose to avoid the fire, refusing to dabble in the deepest Dark Arts, thus preventing their souls from being corrupted.

But there are exceptions.

Some Patriarch died before they could teach their successors. When a young wizard took over the family, no one told him where the boundaries were, and he plunged in headfirst and couldn't get out.

Some people are too talented and ambitious, thinking they can handle it and that the cost to their soul is nothing. As a result, they go further and further astray and eventually become a completely different person.

Therefore, protecting the soul is a consensus, but consensus does not mean that everyone will abide by it. Other families may also have people like Bellatrix who willingly jump in. This is Orion's skill, and also his limit.

He was able to protect his soul, preventing it from being corrupted or Transfiguration.

But he didn't know how to make it powerful.

Regulus did it; at twelve years old, he went where he couldn't.

Orion didn't ask him how he did it.

There's no standard answer to this kind of question, or perhaps there is, but that's Regulus's own answer; even if he knew it, he couldn't learn it, and it wouldn't work. There's one more thing.

Dumbledore got involved, as did Nicolas Flamel.

The old man who had lived for six hundred years was willing to meet a twelve-year-old Black and to tell him about the framework for nourishing the soul.

This tells us a lot.

Leaving aside Dumbledore, someone like Flamel, who has lived for six hundred years, has seen all kinds of wizards.

His willingness to speak indicates that he saw something in Regulus that was worth speaking up for.

Orion remained silent for a long time. A section of the firewood in the fireplace burned, and ashes fell from the firebox, landing on the iron grill and crumbling into powder.

He raised his gaze to Regulus, his chin slightly lifted. "Continue."

Regulus continued.

"Protecting those two Half-bloods at first was just a side effect." He spoke casually, with a hint of ease.

"Alex Roxier wanted to do it, so I let him. He was managing those two, running errands, relaying messages, and keeping watch—he was doing a decent job." "Later, things changed. Bellatrix noticed and sent a warning letter, which I replied to."

Orion listened.

"They replied with an S0," Regulus said.

Orion looked at him.

"A question mark," Regulus added.

Orion's brow twitched.

"Written with ketchup," Regulus added, "Breakfast, just in case."

Orion remained silent.

smoothly?

Write "S0?" in ketchup and reply to Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's most loyal follower.

It doesn't sound natural at all.

But Orion didn't dwell on that.

He put this matter together with what Regulus had just said about feeding the soul, and thought about it.

Actively push outwards and exert influence.

Bellatrix is the core of the Death Eaters; provoking her is like pushing Voldemort's side.

These actions, if committed by a normal Black heir, would be impulsive and trouble-making.

When applied to Regulus, it's a strategic move, a way of nourishing the soul.

He was using Bellatrix as animal feed.

Orion felt that Regulus had done the right thing, even done it well.

He nodded. "Continue."

"Rababstan Lestrange got involved, sending Snape to find out about the two Half-bloods, to find out why I was protecting them, and whether I had arranged anything for them."

Snape turned and handed the message over.

Orion listened.

Snape, Half-bloods Prince, was recruited by Regulus at school.