The setting sun stretched its rose-red fingers across the horizon.
While the brilliant evening glow had not yet fully sunk below the skyline, young and cheerful Little Wizards poured out of the quaint, spired cottages, making their way back to Hogwarts along Hogsmeade's carriage-lined main road.
Amidst the crowd, three Gryffindor students walked close together, trying to avoid brushing against the throngs of people, their long shadows trailing behind them on the orange-hued ground.
As they passed the pillars flanking the main gate, one of them pointed at the winged boar statue atop the stone column and exclaimed cheerfully:
"Regulus was right—there really are 'hog'-themed decorations everywhere."
This Little Wizard looked about, as if searching for something invisible. It was James Potter, who had generously lent his Invisibility Cloak to Regulus for his return trip to the castle.
"Oi, James. Keep it down," Remus cautioned. "Regulus is right next to me."
"I'm here," Regulus said softly, suppressing his excitement from beneath the Invisibility Cloak. Wearing this "legendary item," the famed cloak, made his steps feel lighter than air.
He had always enjoyed studying Invisibility Charms and appreciated even more just how flawless this particular item was. If the wizarding war escalated in the future, he'd have to remind James to keep the Invisibility Cloak safe—an extra life-saving tool was always worth having. He definitely shouldn't lend it to Dumbledore—Old Dumbledore had enough magic to defend himself.
"I've got an idea—how about when Remus gets back, we roast a suckling pig at Hagrid's place?" Regulus, eyeing the winged boar statue, felt his stomach rumble slightly.
Just imagine it—a fire stoked with special aromatic wood from the Forbidden Forest, the hog fat crackling as it sizzled, basted with cooking wine, brushed with honey and fragrant spices—thirteen-spice, even—roasted slowly until the scent filled the air. Then, a tender slice of leg meat, savoured with gusto...
Regulus quietly envisioned the "big picture" he had in mind—the three Little Lions immediately wore expressions of longing that only true carnivores could understand, then nodded vigorously like pounding garlic cloves.
"We can all bring our friends," Regulus added. "I'll send you invitation posts later."
"Then I can invite Lily!" James said at once, not yet realising the implications of that statement.
"If you're going to invite a girl, don't forget to invite her good friend too," Sirius said casually.
It was unclear whether James actually heard him—but perhaps because he was often surrounded by girls, Sirius's intuition in matters of relationships was sharper than that of most silly boys.
As expected of my brother—he knows the best friend route. The invisible Regulus nodded approvingly.
...
Some things, silent and still as water, can become the warmest hands guarding a person's heart.
Severus's changes were obvious to anyone paying attention, but if asked directly, many wouldn't be able to articulate exactly what had changed—perhaps just a few small details.
For instance, Regulus never told anyone, but he quietly instructed the school's house-elves to assist Severus Snape with subtle tasks—tidying up, cleaning, and even coordinating his outfits.
For example, Regulus often gathered friends—especially members of the Slytherin Quidditch team—for morning runs around the Black Lake, thus setting off a new wave of physical fitness among the younger Slytherins.
And then there was how he had asked his father, Orion Black, to discreetly donate several sets of high-quality standard uniforms—from inner garments to outer cloaks, top to bottom—for all students third-year and below.
Little Wizards from struggling families no longer needed to worry about whether their robes were presentable.
Anyway, families like theirs had always had a tradition of "donating money and resources" everywhere—the Ministry of Magic, the media, Hogwarts...
This was how a proper boarding school should operate.
Of course, the faculty couldn't help but notice. Even Dumbledore found himself reflecting on whether more should be done to support impoverished students—because regardless of whether Regulus was deliberately trying to win people over, it was undeniable that the Hogwarts under his leadership had reached a state even a Black Family child couldn't bear to see.
And since there were Galleons lying around at home, they might as well be donated. Otherwise, as in the original timeline, the Black Family would end up with no one left—what good would all that money be then?
After all, one of the most painful things in the world is: the person dies, and the money goes unspent.
Since life and death couldn't be controlled, then he, Regulus, would at least make sure the money was.
But—there really was too much. He truly couldn't spend it all… no matter how hard he tried…
...
Sunlight poured in through the tall windows, casting a warm glow on the rows of odd-looking book spines in the library—and also lit up Regulus and Severus.
"It's just food and fun—I'll definitely be there," Regulus said, patting Severus on the shoulder. "Besides, I reckon Lily will come too."
"Don't let them get to you. Look at how I treat Lestrange—if I actually cared what he thought, wouldn't that mean I saw him as my equal?" Regulus sat up straighter in his chair, shoulders squared, with a faint smile. Arrogance rose from him naturally, as if it were his birthright.
"Just enjoy yourself. That's what really matters."
Severus, whose confidence had grown significantly of late, no longer hesitated and nodded.
Piled in front of him were career reference books such as Beautiful Potions and Perfect Complexion, Household Potions: A Witch's Essential, and Potion Enhancement: Hundredfold Miracles!
Not to mention the various beauty product samples recently received by their mothers, Eileen and Walburga—especially the latter, who was a major financial backer of the business and its true owner behind the scenes.
When it came to spending money, Regulus was a professional.
The product line was scheduled for trial release around Christmas, and now they also needed to identify upper-year students with strong Potions skills to expand their workforce.
With the paid assistance of another Potion Master, Professor Slughorn, the progress would undoubtedly be greatly accelerated.
Soon after, a few more lower-year Slytherin students came over and sat around them to study. Several of these Little Witches were clearly there with other motives, frequently sneaking glances at Regulus.
Regulus, however, was cordial to all the girls—after all, these were future customers of their beauty products.
Once the line was launched, he planned to offer them samples first, and then encourage their relatives… starting from the United Kingdom and expanding globally.
Once Sirius matured, Regulus intended to recruit him as the product's spokesperson—he chuckled at the thought.
A Little Witch sitting diagonally across from him mistakenly believed he was smiling at her, turned bright red, and lowered her head shyly.
╮(╯∀╰)╭
Ah, the future—so beautiful future~~
Before opening the next upper-year Charms book, Regulus was mentally sorting through his to-do list.
Tomorrow was the first points tournament for the Duelling Club, and he also needed to prepare a birthday gift for the very helpful Professor Flitwick—Hmm..
Thinking of the powerful magic Professor Flitwick had demonstrated, he couldn't help but wonder: just how astonishing must those wizards truly called geniuses—like Riddle, Dumbledore, and Grindelwald—be?
Regulus didn't have time to dwell on it, nor did he realise that he was gradually becoming a budding genius in the eyes of others.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes for a moment, and then reopened them—his gaze now calm, as if he had flicked off the switch for exhaustion.
Magic has no ceiling; only inferiority is a bottomless pit.
Rather than placing hope in the future or in others, what mattered was this moment, today, every day—he had to take destiny into his own hands.