Walking back to the dormitory, Regulus took stock of the past two months.
In Transfiguration, he hadn't cracked the elemental conversion barrier, but his precision and range had improved noticeably. He could give diamond the layered structure of graphite while keeping its hardness intact.
The star integration had exceeded expectations.
Protego reinforced with stars boosted defense by roughly fifty percent for only fifteen percent more magical drain.
A reasonable trade.
The Reductor Curse paired with a supernova-burst image doubled its power, but also doubled the cost. Best saved for critical moments.
More importantly, he'd discovered that different imagery could alter a spell's fundamental nature.
The same Incendio behaved completely differently depending on the image behind it. A burning star produced sustained, searing heat. A falling meteor added concussive force.
Side-Shift Spell cooldown was down to one and a half seconds. Switching between the Swiftness Spell and the Sprint Spell came with almost no delay.
He was still primarily ground-mobile, but his survival odds in complex environments had genuinely improved.
His magical plant research had advanced his attribute theory.
Dittany's healing inclination. Venomous Tentacula's paralytic inclination. Devil's Snare's predatory inclination. The Whomping Willow's physical inclination.
These tendencies were inherent properties of each plant's magical energy. Understanding that meant he could guide and harness plant magic far more efficiently.
The biggest gain was the completed Space Warp incantation.
Built from nothing. Elevated from personal ability to teachable magic. Proof that his method worked.
Observe the phenomenon. Analyze the principle. Construct a model. Develop the application.
Then add a touch of magic.
But none of that mattered as much as one other thing.
Confirming his magical path, and Dumbledore's additions to it.
He knew the road now. Balance between reason and intuition. Control and release walking side by side. Do what needed doing, let magic handle the rest.
Verdant Magic hadn't broken through yet. All he could do was repeat the practice and wait for quantity to become quality.
Or deepen his understanding of nature, but that required the right moment.
At least his star guided meditation was progressing steadily. Bellatrix had brightened to half-luminance, and his mental fortitude continued to grow.
As for Professor Sprout's Sunlight Ebony Bush, even if she gave permission, he wouldn't touch it yet.
That plant demanded a pure inclination toward light. He wasn't ready.
Or more accurately, he couldn't comprehend that kind of light. Couldn't become it.
If he wanted to make contact and establish a magical connection, he'd need a different approach entirely.
He hadn't found one yet.
Fiendfyre needed to move up the schedule.
The attribute-level natural suppression Dumbledore had described was beyond him for now. But Fiendfyre's burn-everything philosophy could serve as a backup plan. Not something he could practice at school, though. That would have to wait for the holidays.
He pushed open the Slytherin dormitory door.
Cuthbert and Alex were playing wizard chess. Both looked up when he walked in.
"Hermes gets discharged tomorrow," Cuthbert said, a knight piece pinched between his fingers. "Should we go meet him?"
Regulus nodded. "We should."
"Madam Pomfrey says he's fine," Alex added quietly. "Curse completely removed. He's just weak, needs a few more days of rest."
"Good." Regulus hung up his robes.
He did want Hermes to truly join the group.
Cuthbert and Alex each brought something to the table. Cuthbert was a future hub in pure-blood social circles. His spellwork lagged behind, but no one else could fill the spokesman role.
Alex was careful and thorough, suited for handling practical matters.
But wizards ultimately spoke through magic, and Hermes had that potential.
His obsession with the Dark Arts was a problem, but one that could be guided, controlled, even shaped through teaching.
The real question was what Hermes chose for himself.
The Astronomy Tower incident had created an opening. The Mulciber family's stance was already clear. What remained was whether Hermes was willing to follow.
---
The next morning, the three of them went to the Hospital Wing.
Hermes sat on the edge of his bed, already changed into clean robes. His face was still pale, but far better than before.
He looked up when they entered. Said nothing. Just gave a small nod.
Madam Pomfrey was changing bandages on another patient. She waved them off without looking up. "Take him. No strenuous activity, light meals, come back for a checkup in three days."
Cuthbert walked over and clapped Hermes on the shoulder. "Let's go. Alex practically buried your bed under his stuff."
Alex flushed. "I was just storing things temporarily..."
Hermes stood, moving slowly.
He picked up a small cloth bundle from the nightstand, probably spare clothes and personal items, and followed them out of the Hospital Wing.
Passing another bed, Regulus caught a glimpse of Darren Macnair from the corner of his eye.
He lay flat, blanket pulled to his chin, eyes shut. But his eyelids twitched faintly.
Faking sleep. Or rather, hiding.
Regulus knew Darren was awake. Madam Pomfrey's treatment was effective; once the curse was cleared, physical recovery was only a matter of time.
But Darren lay motionless. Eyes closed. No interaction with anyone. Like a breathing corpse.
He was afraid. The mission had failed. The family had lost a critical artifact. The Resentment Plague Wand was in Dumbledore's hands now, and Darren himself was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Regulus glanced once and looked away. Darren was a fool.
As long as he remained at Hogwarts, his life wasn't in danger. Dumbledore wouldn't allow a student to come to harm on school grounds.
But outside?
How the Macnair family dealt with their failures was their business. Regulus didn't care.
Everyone bore the consequences of their own choices. Darren had picked his path. He'd live with what came.
---
The four of them left the Hospital Wing and walked back along the underground corridor.
Cuthbert talked about recent Quidditch matches. Alex chimed in occasionally. Hermes listened in silence. Regulus walked at the front.
Laughter echoed from somewhere distant. A classroom leaked the smell of potion ingredients at a rolling boil. A woman in a portrait hummed an old song.
Back in the Slytherin dormitory, the door swung shut behind them.
Cuthbert tossed his bag onto his bed, pulled out a chair, and dropped into it.
Alex drifted to the window and looked out over the Black Lake. A few Giant Squid drifted slowly past, tentacles brushing the glass.
Hermes stood in the middle of the room, still clutching the cloth bundle.
He didn't go to his bed. Didn't speak. Just stood there.
Regulus finished hanging his robes and turned to face him.
A few seconds of quiet passed before Hermes spoke.
"Dumbledore told me." His voice was rougher than before his stay, like it hadn't been used in a while. "About the Astronomy Tower."
Regulus gestured for him to continue.
"He said the three of you went investigating because of what happened to me. That you walked in on Darren Macnair breaking through the last protective charm, and the curse nearly trapped you all inside."
His gaze swept across Regulus, Cuthbert, and Alex, then settled on Regulus. "He said if you hadn't stayed behind to cover their retreat, those two might not have made it out."
Regulus just nodded. "All that matters is you're recovered."
"I just wanted to say..." Hermes looked down at the bundle in his hands. "You deserve to know what happened."
He walked to his bed and sat. The bundle landed beside him. His eyes swept the room.
"My family told me to work with Macnair. Break the protective charms beneath the Astronomy Tower and retrieve what was inside. They never said what it was, only that it was important. Critical to the family's future."
His gaze dropped to the floor as he spoke. "We spent two months on it. Macnair brought tools from home. Progress was smooth. The charms were almost broken when..."
He paused. His brow furrowed, nostrils flaring, as if a painful memory had surfaced.
"I thought we were about to succeed. But at the last moment, Macnair used that crystal... you may have seen it, the one with the gray mist sealed inside. He released whatever was in it, aimed straight at me. I wasn't expecting it. Too close to dodge."
Regulus listened. It aligned almost perfectly with what he'd already pieced together. Two families cooperating. One stabbing the other in the back at the finish line, trying to take everything.
"After that, I don't remember anything." Hermes lifted his head. "When I woke up, I was in the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore was beside me. Told me it was over. The artifact had been sealed. Darren was hurt too."
He looked at Regulus. "Did you find out the truth?"
"We did," Regulus said. "But the details aren't something I can get into right now. All you need to know is that it's been handled. Dumbledore took care of it."