Welcome to Knockturn Alley

Regulus suddenly thought of Snape; his Patronus must have been hidden, otherwise he wouldn't have let the Patronus guide Harry Potter to find the Sword of Gryffindor.

Those were Horcruxes meant to destroy Voldemort. If Snape had already exposed his Patronus, and if even one member of the main group were captured, Snape would be doomed.

Orion changed the subject, continuing, "Of course, if it's really necessary, then we'll use it."

"We can't put ourselves in danger just to hide our abilities, but one thing is certain: when it's time to use them, it's best to conceal those extraordinary qualities."

He pointed to the Starry Sky Kite: "Make it look like an ordinary falcon, with a similar shape, but with its wings folded in, the starlight hidden, and its eyes a darker color."

The eagle is also good, symbolizing wisdom and strength, and it matches you well. Most people can't tell the difference.

Regulus tested it and found that it was indeed possible.

While the Patronus's form is fixed, some details can be adjusted, and the intensity of the light can be controlled, making the Starry Sky Kite look like a silver-white eagle—this is entirely feasible.

"I understand," Regulus nodded earnestly in agreement.

Orion breathed a sigh of relief; he trusted his son's judgment.

Regulus turned his attention back to the Starry Sky Kite. As he looked at the silver bird, another thought flashed through his mind: he and the Animagus might not be meant to be.

The animal form that the Animagus Transformation into often corresponds to or resembles the Patronus of a wizard.

His Patronus is the Starry Sky Kite, a legendary Magical Creature that obviously cannot be transformed into.

This means that when he tries to learn Animagus later, he will either fail or become something else.

But on second thought, it's really not something to regret.

While Animagus is useful, it is not essential; with the Patronus present, many functions can be replaced.

Moreover, the Patronus is a pure embodiment of positive energy, unlike the Animagus which is at risk of being influenced by animal instincts.

Even Animagus training requires a lot of time, is too unpredictable, and relies too much on weather and luck; a slight mistake means starting all over again.

Besides, what's so great about transforming into an animal? Even if he wanted to transform into an animal, why didn't he just use Human Transfiguration?

Animagus, we're better off without it!

Regulus waved his wand gently, and the Starry Sky Kite transformed into silver Light Point and vanished, leaving behind a lingering, warm, starlight-like aura in the air.

He remembered how he felt today: the emotion of watching the sunset from the cliff, the joy of Magic Power flowing with his emotions, and the deep resonance from the depths of his soul when he summoned his Patronus.

These feelings will not change his path; he will continue to calculate rationally, plan carefully, and pursue strength as his fundamental goal.

But some things are indeed different now; Magic is not just a tool, but also a part of his life.

The world is worth appreciating and experiencing, and he himself is a living, breathing person who can be moved, yearn for things, and feel joy for beautiful things.

That's good.

The Portkey was used to return to 12 Grimmauld Place.

The old teapot lid carried them through the swirling colors and sounds, finally settling in the Entrance Hall of Black Ancestral Home, where Kreacher was already waiting, holding a hot towel and hot tea.

"Welcome back, the Master, Little the Master."

Orion took the towel and wiped his face, then said to Regulus, "Tomorrow is the last day. Go to Knockturn Alley to collect the debts. Get some rest tonight."

Regulus nodded and went upstairs to his room.

He stood by the window, looking at the London night view. Compared to the grandeur of the Ireland coast, the scenery here was much more ordinary: streets, houses, streetlights, and the occasional passing car.

Today's experience was like injecting the first splash of color into his otherwise black, white, and gray world.

Although it was just a brief stroke, it was enough for him to know that the world is vast, beautiful, and worth seeing.

He has enough time and enough determination to reach a high enough place and see enough scenery.

On the last day of the Christmas holidays, with only a lingering festive atmosphere, Orion led Regulus to the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

Unlike the neat brick wall of Diagon Alley, the entrance to Knockturn Alley is sandwiched between two crooked buildings.

The walls were stained a dark brown with unidentified stains, and the air was filled with a smell that was a mixture of rotting mold and some kind of pungent medicine.

Regulus followed his father into the alley, and the light instantly dimmed.

The walls on both sides of the alley were damp and sticky, even without touching them with your fingers.

Several dilapidated oil lamps hung overhead, their flames flickering a pale green light inside the glass shades, casting long, distorted shadows.

The ground beneath my feet was uneven, with puddles of varying depths, and a thin, oily, colored film floating on the surface.

After walking about twenty steps, the passage suddenly opened up, and the Knockturn Alley appeared before us.

This place is a completely different world from Diagon Alley; it's like stepping from a civilized place into a chaotic one.

The buildings on both sides are crooked and crammed together, and the walls are covered with dark moss.

Most of the windows were boarded up, and a few glass windows had heavy black curtains hanging behind them, obscuring what was inside.

The alley was very narrow, barely wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side, and the road surface was piled with all sorts of miscellaneous items.

Damaged wooden crates, scattered sacks, rusted iron barrels, and even several animal skeletons whose origins were unrecognizable.

The area was sparsely populated, and everyone was dressed in dark robes with their hoods pulled low. They walked quickly, trying to stay close to the walls and avoid eye contact with anyone.

Regulus's sensory talents became exceptionally sensitive in this environment; he could sense the Magic Fluctuation emanating from the surrounding shops and pedestrians.

Mostly murky, chaotic, and filled with negative emotions.

He felt it was a bit absurd.

Only by truly standing in this alley can one experience the dark side of the Magic world.

Descriptions of the Dark Arts trade and the circulation of illegal goods are far too simplistic; every brick, every inch of air, every corner here is permeated with an atmosphere of chaos and depravity.

The only rule is strength; whoever is strong has the final say, and whoever is weak disappears.

If someone dies here, their body will likely be dragged away immediately and made full use of.

No one will ask, no one will care; it's like a rabbit being eaten by a fox in the forest—it's just the law of nature.

But what Regulus found truly absurd was that all of this was illegal under UK Magic law.

Everyone knows Knockturn Alley is illegal— the Ministry of Magic knows, Wizengamot knows.

Even Muggle families with young wizards have probably heard from their children that there's a scary place near Diagon Alley.

But Knockturn Alley still exists; it's been here for hundreds of years.

The Ministry of Magic, or rather the upper echelons of the Wizarding World, almost universally acquiesced to this attitude.

On the one hand, they claim that the law is supreme and order is sacred, yet they leave such a large area of lawless territory next to the largest commercial district.

The law is written clearly, specifying what can and cannot be done, but Knockturn Alley is there, like an open secret, a lie that everyone knows but no one exposes.

Openly and brazenly, without any attempt to conceal it.

A thought flashed through Regulus's mind: This must be politics.

The law seems to merely declare that everything here is illegal, but that's all.

Statements are statements, and actions are actions.

Regulus was well aware that Knockturn Alley existed because it had its reasons for existing.

Pureblood families need this place to conduct some shady business, and Dark Wizard need it to obtain resources and intelligence.

The Ministry of Magic needs a place like this to centrally manage those difficult people and things, stuffing them all into Knockturn Alley so they can be out of sight and out of mind.

It can only be said that Britain has its own national circumstances.

But none of this Regulus.

As a wizard and the heir to the Black family, he also needs Knockturn Alley to exist.

Or rather, everyone needs it to exist.

Pure-bloods need it, Half-bloods need it, the Ministry of Magic needs it, and even those white wizards who claim to be righteous might need it.

There has to be a place to handle those inconvenient things.

This is another ecosystem in the Wizarding World, another side of order.

Light and darkness are never clearly distinct; more often than not, they are interdependent and permeate each other.

Knockturn Alley is the shadow of Diagon Alley; without a shadow, the existence of light is meaningless.

In short, everything that exists must have a reason.

At this moment, Orion stopped, turned his head and whispered to Regulus, "Here, just look, don't speak, and don't touch anything."

Everything you see may be cursed, every patch of ground you walk on may be etched with traps, and every person you meet may harbor malice.

He emphasized calmly, "Knockturn Alley is the other side of order. There's only one rule here: survive. Everything else is nonsense."

Regulus nodded.