Conversations at the Dinner Table

"Okay, I guess I got it right." Kate shrank her neck.

"Yes. But there's something I need to remind you of. When Voldemort's Locket sensed me Horcrux, it thought to itself that my magic was boundless, but that's a misconception."

"His mistake was not in judging my magic."

"But rather, his, and indeed most wizards in the world's, understanding of magic is wrong," Ryan suddenly emphasized, recalling Kate's recent reading of Voldemort's split soul.

"The most powerful wizard in the world has no more than three times the magical power of an ordinary wizard."

"Magic does indeed increase with knowledge, willpower, and age."

"But it's not actually as much as the wizard himself imagined; the feeling of a tenfold or twentyfold increase is just an illusion."

"Magic is a power that leans towards the spiritual realm; its transformation is actually a qualitative transformation."

"You think you have a lot more magic, but it's just that your control over magic and its quality have improved," Ryan said.

Actually, it's not that the wizards in the Wizarding World are incompetent. If Ryan hadn't had a panel and clearly seen that the magic power value on it was only 49, it wouldn't have been so bad.

He probably shares the same view as wizards in the Wizarding World —because when Ryan sensed the endless regenerative power within his body, like that of Ouroboros, his perception was no different from Voldemort's.

"Oh, how much magic do I have, according to your calculation method?" Kate asked curiously.

Ravenclaw's unique curiosity made her even temporarily forget about the trip Ryan had promised her, and then she pressed him to tell her where the trip was going.

"If an average wizard's magic power is 10, then yours is at least 21," Ryan said.

To be honest, Kate's magical power is comparable to that of Rubeus Hagrid, a descendant of Hagrid, the Lord of All Monsters. If they were the same age, Kate's magical power would probably be even greater.

Meanwhile, at the Black Family Manor at Grimmauld Place, Number 12, a surprising scene unfolded.

An Inferi was actually eating. Fragrant roast chicken, plump pies, juicy steak, and crispy fried chicken legs were all devoured by Regulus.

The scene was quite strange, as if the strictly self-disciplined Percy had suddenly adopted Ron's eating habits.

His marble-white fingers were covered in grease and sauce.

Kreacher stood spiritedly to one side, his tattered clothes washed until they were white, looking at everything before him with ecstatic eyes.

Harry suspected that even if Dobby, Dobby, talked about freedom in front of him, Kreacher would ignore him at this moment.

"At first I thought I was crazy." Sirius, his eyes still bloodshot, looked lovingly at his younger brother at the table and occasionally handed Regulus a piece of pie.

"What kind of magic is this?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

Draco's eyes were glazed over, as if he were frantically recalling knowledge about the Inferi in his mind.

Ron didn't touch the food in front of him, his buttocks just touching the stool, as if he was worried that Regulus would suddenly break free of his 'restraints' and bite him.

Even Lupin seemed completely unaware, even though they were sleeping in the same room.

"Harry, it's not magic."

"Perhaps it's because Regulus is a wizard?"

"In short, that mad elf Kreacher was right— Regulus is still alive!"

"He doesn't seem to need to eat; he can replenish his energy in the dark. But Regulus clearly still has his memories; he knows to eat and knows that I and that nasty Kreacher are his close family."

"Can you believe it? I've already opened the portrait of my crazy mother."

"But listen? There's no noise at all."

"When I saw Regulus return, he could walk and drink, and all his crazy talk was gone," Sirius said.

For the first time, his face was filled with a sense that he was still alive.

Prior to this, although he had regained his complexion through a healthy diet and exercise, his face had always lacked that expression.

Even the arrival of Harry and Lupin only brought him temporary joy, but beneath that smile, there was clearly a hidden alienation from everything in the world.

"Shameless spendthrift, vulgar bastard, you've broken my mistress's heart."

"Young Master Regulus' return is thanks to the efforts of Young Master Potter and his friends. The mistress doesn't insult you, Sirius doesn't even know how to reflect on his own behavior."

"Young Master Regulus has forgotten a lot and doesn't know how to eat. Doesn't Sirius know how to help him?"

"Hey, even my greatest Regulus wouldn't understand," Kreacher said.

But his voice combined with his words sounded strange.

Just like Harry's Uncle Vernon, who gently told Harry that he was a freak.

"Oh dear, how could I forget?" Sirius wasn't angry; instead, he smiled so much that his eyes almost squinted into slits.

He drew his wand, and the grease on Regulus's face, hands, and even collar was gone.

Seeing his brother approach, Regulus put down his food and stared at Sirius with bewildered eyes.

"Here, Regulus, let your brother feed you." Sirius picked up a chicken leg.

"I think Severus will be very disappointed," Lupin suddenly said.

"What does this have to do with Professor Snape?" Ron, who had no appetite, gossiped.

Harry also resisted the urge to prick up his ears.

Sirius, however, showed no reaction when he heard the name of the Snape that he hated the most, and when his friend addressed Snape so affectionately.

"I came to Sirius's house and recently made a special effort to catch up on the old the Daily Prophet —I didn't used to subscribe to newspapers."

"After all, it's hard for someone like me to find a job."

"Judging from the newspapers, from Sirius's article, and my recent correspondence with Dumbledore —because I'll be your teacher next school year, an assistant teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"In Sirius's release from prison, Severus exerted his influence Slytherin Head of House and Potions Master, and Dumbledore didn't even have time to help."

"Oh, right," Lupin said.

"What? Snape?" Even Sirius, who was engrossed in his affection for his younger brother, couldn't help but come back to reality.

At the Black House, Harry and his friends, who had been passively learning a lot about the past these past few days, also looked on with skepticism.

"How could that be! Professor Snape is a good man, but not to the point of—" This was Harry.

"That Old Bat?" Ron.

"Is this really our Dean?" Draco asked without a doubt.

"When I pieced together the truth and later learned everything from Dumbledore's letter, I had the same expression as you guys," Lupin said, making a face.

"Kreacher, serve Regulus his meal," Sirius said.

All he wanted to know was what that Snape Snape guy was thinking.