25. Journey into the unknown world of books from the Noble House of Black
After repeatedly telling every detail of his adventure to his family, which included the part that Bellatrix was among the Death Eaters who entered the train. After being pressed, crushed and covered by kisses from his mother, who was overly thrilled by the ability of her son in awaken almost all students; Regulus was resting in his bedroom.
While he carefully placed his medal on the nightstand and fixed new Slytherin banners on the wall, he remembered the larger goal for the holidays: learn Latin. "Did my parents have a book that taught Latin, or a dictionary at our library?" He thought. He couldn't ask directly, because he couldn't tell anyone what he was doing. His mother used to say that there were no secrets between family members, and then Sirius would know whatever he intended.
The next day, during breakfast, he asked:
'Mum, can I take a look at the books in our library? I learned Rennervate when I was trawling through the Hogwarts library. I think I could found another useful spell here at home... I'd love to win another medal ...' He grinned checking if his argument was persuasive enough to his mother let him to trawl without asking anything else.
Mrs Walburga grinned:
'Sure, honey. You can read all you want. If you need help to understand a book, you can call me.' She replied, proudly, thinking that her younger son was certainly her greatest pride - soon he'd be covered with medals school.
Then, after breakfast, Sirius came out slamming the front door, and Regulus went to the library.
The library of Black's house was great, the four walls lined with books on black, wood-gloss bookshelves. He looked at that immensity of books without knowing where to start looking. He missed the librarian and her impeccable organization. The books of his house seemed to have simply been placed on the shelves without any care to separate the subject; there was just some organization depending on the size of the books and the colour of their covers. He spent a few minutes thinking he would pass his entire summer holidays looking at the bookshelves without finding anything. That was when his father entered:
'Are you looking for something specific, my son?'
'No, nothing.' He lied. 'But I don't know where to start, there're so many books here!'
'Try starting by the end of the bookshelf, just to follow a direction ...'
'Good idea ... Um ... Father?'
'Yes?'
'Why's it that I wasn't hit when that orange spell was cast on the train?'
'What were you doing at that very moment?'
'Well, as I told you, the boys and I had reached the Trolley-Lady; she was lying on the floor in the middle of the hallway. The boys jumped her and went forward. I thought I might take her out of the way. Nevertheless, I couldn't carry her alone, then I cast the Levicorpus spell and led her into an empty compartment. I did the counter-spell and when I returned to the hall, everyone was passed out, even those who were in the other compartments. Everyone but me.'
'I have two hypotheses to explain this: the first is that your cousin has seen you and protected you from the spell. The second is that, on some occasions, when two spells of the same type of magic are released at the same time, the magic flash collides with another, creating a momentary neutral field, where the spells don't work. But don't you think about using it in a duel, as it's very difficult to know exactly what type of spell cast by your opponent ... Best is to use shield-spell ...'
'As Impedimenta, isn't it?'
Orion smiled and nodded:
'Have you been participating in duels, my son?'
'Just playing with Slytherins, father ...' He replied, evasively.
Orion didn't like questioning his kids, then he thought it was a sufficient answer. He stroked his son's head, ruffling it affectionately and left.
Regulus turned to the tall bookshelves. He began to read the titles one by one looking for some that could teach Latin. Though it seemed that was not his lucky day, or his parents had no interest in learning other languages. There were many potion and spell books, nothing about languages.
He would be discouraged it were not for many titles, which were arousing his curiosity. Then, he started paging through them, separating some books for later reading.
He had already scattered several stacks of books on the floor when he arrived on the top shelf. It was 3 p.m., he had forgotten about lunch and his parents were out, Sirius was out and neither Flofly nor Kreacher had called him for lunch. However, he wasn't hungry. He looked up. They were very old and thick books; they were covered in a black leather or a shimmering dragon leather, slightly bluish-greenish. The shine from the books let him excited. He had never saw books like that. Quickly, he took a small ladder that stood in a corner and climbed. The titles were saying little about its contents, which whetted his curiosity. He took four books and descended carefully. He sighted and sat down on the floor, and started paging through them. Apparently, these were the most interesting of all books he was found. Regulus looked at them and then went to get some more. As he was reading their content, his eyes were twinkling and widening for pure pleasure and amazement. Those pages contained all that was most strange and curious about magic. They talked about spells, but not common spells. It was dark art.
He was so engrossed in reading the books that he didn't realize his father had returned to home and went into the library. Orion stood staring at his son. After a few minutes, Regulus was startled by the presence of the father. His first impulse was to hide the books, which would be useless, then lifted his head to face his father.
'Did you find what you were looking for, my young Black?'
Regulus felt intimidated by the question of his father and was shortly speechless.
'Son?'
Regulus took a deep breath and replied:
'No,' he said sincerely. Then, filled with courage, he asked:
'Dad, why we have these books here at home?'
'Knowledge is never enough. These are very old books, which containing ancient and dangerous magic. They're in the family for generations. But don't forget: knowing is not practicing, my son.'
Orion responded, looking straight into the eyes of his son, without rebuke him by curiosity, while fulfilling his role of a father to inform. Regulus was reticent few moments, and then asked:
'Dad, may I read?'
Orion looked at his son without seeming to see him, and then he replied, smiling and pulling a chair for himself. He sat up and said:
'Sit down here beside me, son.'
Regulus started to collect the books strewed on the floor, the father said:
'Leave them there. Come.'
Regulus obeyed. His father didn't used to be a man of many words, but when he was about to talk worth hearing. Regulus sat up and looked his father in the eye. Orion resumed:
'Like I said, whatever is written in the pages of these books should not be taken lightly. Many of these books, I believe, are unique. They have irreplaceable historical value and demand respect.'
'Sorry to have them put down, Dad ...'
'No, that's all right, son. The respect that I ask is that you have to understand that the magic contained in them is the result of experiments, from times when little or nothing was known about the extent of the power we are able to. Much of what has been discovered at the time these books were written can be managed for healing purposes or improved as protective spells - for defence or attack, in case of war for example.
Regulus looked at the stack of books still on the floor. He opened his mouth, but quit talking. His father continued:
'You are responsible and dedicated to your studies. I allow you to read these books, with some conditions: nobody must know we have such books in our home, and I forbid you to use the knowledge described in them to harm anyone else.'
'Not even Muggles, Dad?' Regulus ventured, unsure.
'How many times have you seen me attacking Muggles, my son?'
'None at all.' Regulus replied, lowering his eyes.
'The option of not dirtying our blood or share our knowledge with Muggles is an honour for the family. But getting your hands dirty in unclean blood is a disgrace, not a thing from a Black.'
'Sorry, Dad. I promise not to say anything about these books and not use their knowledge to harm others.'
Orion smiled:
'I don't expect another attitude from you, my son. Remember: knowledge is not practicing.'
Orion then stood up, stretched his legs and left in the middle of books Regulus, once again stunned without knowing what to do.
