Orion: Am I Holding My Son Back?

Orion looked at Regulus, unsurprised.

Having just caused such a stir in the Pure-blood Circle, this is precisely when their reputation is at its peak.

Many people dream of having this kind of attention, and they would love to devote all their energy to cultivating it, showing their faces everywhere, and making friends everywhere, thinking that fame itself can put food on the table.

But Regulus's first reaction was to practice Magic.

It wasn't that the son wasn't deceived; he simply didn't take it seriously from the beginning.

Once you have enough fame, let it go; once you've achieved enough influence, stop. Always know what you're going to do next.

"The Cuthbert family are coming the day after tomorrow," Orion said. "The Malfoy family coming the day after."

Regulus shook his head. "Father can handle it."

"The Roxier family and Selwyn family also sent invitations," Orion glanced at a letter, "They both want to see you."

Regulus continued to shake his head, "I'm not going."

Orion picked up a few more letters. "The Flint family, the Greengrass family, the Burch family, all from the last two days."

He pulled one of the letters out of his hand and waved it around, his tone subtly sarcastic. "The Flint family ' wording is very solicitous, almost like a marriage proposal."

Regulus's lips twitched, but he didn't reply.

He knew about the Flint family, Lily's roommate, Marcia Fawley.

Orion put the letters back on the stack, then picked up a separate one from the corner of the table. The envelope was larger, the parchment thicker, and the wax seal bore the Ministry of Magic's stamp, a deep blue one.

"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the UK Ministry of Magic," Orion read aloud, as if reciting a menu.

"Regarding the building damage and Magic conflict that occurred during the Christmas Banquet at the Lestrange Manor, we wish to have an informal meeting with Mr. Black, the person involved, to understand what happened."

He held up the letter for Regulus to see.

Regulus pursed his lips, then quickly withdrew them.

Orion shook his head, tossed the letter back onto the table casually, not putting it back in the pile of letters, but just leaving it on the edge of the table corner, almost dropping it to the floor.

The Ministry of Magic's invitation to a hearing didn't even qualify for a formal filing on the Black family's desk.

The heirs of the Sacred Twenty-Eight deal with their own family members in other people's manors. Whether it's beating or burning, it's an internal matter of the Pureblood families. When is it any outsider's place to hear the proceedings?

Families that have been in the Pure-blood Circle for hundreds of years don't take the Ministry of Magic seriously.

"What's the next step?" Orion asked.

"The Whomping Willow," Regulus replied briefly.

Orion nodded. "We've arrived. Agnes has arranged for you to be on the north side of the Plantation. The land has been cleared out, and you can go anytime."

"Thank you, Father."

Orion picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Father, I need some more Salamander," Regulus said.

Orion put down his teacup. "What are you doing?"

"I have a... pet," Regulus paused, "And I want to do some modifications using the fire resistance of Salamander."

The term "pet" isn't entirely accurate. Baruk was an intelligent and Magical Creature that could talk, make judgments, and think for itself. It could hunt on its own deep within the Forbidden Forest and was one of the more intelligent members of its kind.

But if you really want to say something, Baruk eats his food and lives in his house. Although he was the one who abducted him, he was being raised by him. So, in terms of status, he should indeed be classified as a pet.

Orion looked at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. "That Acromantula?"

Regulus nodded. There was nothing surprising about it; the Patriarch couldn't possibly be unaware that a Level XXX Magical Creature had entered their home.

Orion did know, but he never intervened.

The thing hadn't left Regulus's bedroom since entering Grimmauld Place; it was quiet, didn't hurt anyone, and didn't make any noise. The XXXXX level classification means the highest level of danger in the Ministry of Magic's standards, but Orion had never really taken the Ministry of Magic's classification system seriously.

There are a few things locked in the Study that, if taken out, could rewrite the entire classification system.

My son keeps a spider as a pet; it's just a small hobby, and there's no need to interfere. Acromantula might be a dangerous creature in someone else's home, but it's just like any other spider in Black family's. Let him keep it as a hobby.

"The fire resistance of the Salamander," Orion repeated, a hint of contemplation in his voice. "You want to perform a cross-species Magic trait transplant?" Regulus nodded. "Yes."

"<Beyond Form>?" Orion asked again.

Regulus raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise, then nodded. His father was also a studious person; it wasn't surprising.

Orion was silent for a moment. He had also read through the Forbidden Section of Hogwarts when he was young.

While the theoretical framework for modifying the form and grafting traits of Magical Creatures is complete, very few people have actually attempted it in practice.

That was Human Transfiguration so advanced that most wizards would shy away from it, requiring precise replication of Magic Power structures and extreme control over Magic Power.

There are some cases of this being done on humans, but the book doesn't say it's wrong to transfer the abilities of one Magical Creature Magical Creature into the body of another, and I've never heard of anyone actually doing it.

Besides, the Acromantula and the Salamander are completely unrelated; only Regulus would put them together.

"That's quite an idea," Orion said, his tone ambiguous between praise and admiration. "Salamander aren't hard to get; just talk to Agnes, she'll arrange it."

Regulus nodded again. "Hmm."

The Study was quiet for a moment, then the green flame in the fireplace flickered, casting an eerie glow on the stack of letters on the table.

Regulus sat in his chair, his gaze fixed on a spot on the table, but he wasn't looking at anything.

He was thinking about Voldemort. He'd briefly mentioned it last night; was there anything else he should tell his father?

The Horcruxes cannot be spoken of; if it could, it would have been revealed long ago. Even a single word about them, if found out by Voldemort, would mean utter destruction. Horcruxes are Voldemort's deepest secret, and the only thing he truly cannot let anyone know.

Orion will have to meet Voldemort later.

In Voldemort's style, the first thing he would do upon meeting her was to unleash Legilimency.

If the father had the concept of Horcruxes in his mind, Voldemort found them, then the Black family wouldn't just be a matter of being purged; they could be completely wiped out.

As for Voldemort's current appearance—his face, his body, that modified, inhuman quality—after thinking about it, I decided not to say anything. Voldemort hasn't made a public appearance in a long time, and the vast majority of people in the Wizarding World have never seen his true face at this moment.

Whatever the reason, Voldemort chose to conceal his appearance, and his appearance should not have been revealed by Black. Moreover, compared to Horcruxes, appearance is a minor detail.

Thinking of this, Regulus raised his eyes and suddenly realized that he didn't actually know Orion very well.

My father was undoubtedly a highly skilled wizard, not to mention his combat prowess, as well as his political acumen, and he could wield all kinds of Magic.

He definitely knows Legilimency, and he's quite skilled at it. Having been in the Pure-blood Circle for decades, anyone who doesn't know Legilimency would have been thoroughly exposed long ago.

But being able to withstand Voldemort is one thing, and being able to do so is another. He didn't know if his father had ever experienced that kind of suggestive behavior that made people want to cooperate.

"Father."

Orion, look over here.

Regulus asked directly, "Can your Legilimency protect against Voldemort?"

Orion was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I don't know."

He understood what Regulus meant.

There were things I wanted to tell my son, but I couldn't say them until I was sure he could withstand Voldemort's Legilimency.

The father and son talked a lot in this Study.

He even discussed path selection, family positioning, the situation analysis of Pure-blood Faction, and even mentioned that Abraxas Malfoy might be eliminated by Voldemort.

This is a genuine strategic dialogue, analyzing Voldemort himself and discussing the logic behind his actions.

These things would be trouble if Voldemort saw them, but that would be all they would be.

Based on the Black family's influence and private analysis, Voldemort wouldn't turn against them over these matters; he knew each family had its own agenda.

But now Regulus is asking this question, and his meaning is very clear.

Compared to these, what he discovered, or what he knew, was on a completely different level.

That's truly deadly.

Orion glanced at Regulus across from him, a thought flashing through his mind.

This son is meticulous. No matter how he knows, sees, guesses, or who told him, if he thinks it's not safe, he won't say anything and won't take any risks.

Orion nodded slightly, then asked, "What level?"

Regulus simply shook his head slowly, offering no reply.

Orion didn't ask any more questions.

Even the rank cannot be revealed; that must be the highest rank.

The Study fell silent for a while.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside Orion.

At twelve, he had undergone Legilimency in front of Voldemort and guarded what he was supposed to guard. Now, he was considering whether he could safely tell his father about it.

The conclusion was no, because it was uncertain whether the father could withstand the same tests.

So he didn't say anything.

Am I holding my son back?

There was another moment of silence.

Regulus stood up. "Then I'll be going, Father."

He turned and walked towards the door, his hand just touching the doorknob when he heard Orion's voice behind him.

"Regulus."

He turned around.

Orion sat behind his desk, his hands on the armrests, his mouth opening and closing as if considering what to say, then he gave up. "Your mother."

He recalled the gradually weakening struggle when he held down Walburga's wrist last night, and how she had sat silently in the living room all day today; he sensed that she was somewhat different from before.

But he couldn't bring himself to say it; for over twenty years, they had never discussed these things between them.

He didn't say anything more.

Let the mother and son handle their own affairs. He doesn't need to relay messages from his wife to his son, nor does he need to explain things to his wife on behalf of his son. Shifting blame is always a two-way street.

Orion looked away. "Go."

Regulus glanced at his father, nodded, and went out the door.

Back in his bedroom, Regulus went to his desk.

Baruk leaped from the corner of the table, his eight legs landing steadily on his shoulders. He opened and closed his chelicerae with a thud.

"We're going somewhere tomorrow," Regulus said.

Baruk's foreleg lightly nudged his shoulder, then he uttered two syllables. "... Impressive."

"Hmm, impressive."

Baruk was delighted. His eight legs moved rapidly, and he sprang up from his shoulder to the top of his head, claws gripping his hair.

Regulus shook his head, but his hair was too slippery, and Baruk dared not grab it too hard. He fell down, but then he stuck out his buttocks and sprayed out spider silk to stick to his shoulders, swinging himself back.

It landed on my shoulder, its chelicerae still opening and closing, making a clicking sound, then it retracted its legs and lay down.

"Your head isn't your territory."

The next morning, Regulus got up early, feeling much better.

The Star Orbit Meditation continued to operate, and the fine cracks in the core area had been smoothed out.

I went downstairs for breakfast. Orion was already at the head of the table in the restaurant, with a teacup and an open copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him.

Walburga wasn't there; he probably hadn't gotten up yet. Sirius's seat was also empty.

Regulus sat down at the table and picked up a piece of bread, spreading Butter on it.

Orion turned a page of the newspaper and said, "They're ready in Cornwall."

Regulus nodded.

After finishing the last bite, he placed the napkin next to the plate, went back to his room to get Baruk, and then Apparition.

Cornwall in winter.