Chapter 12,But Time Makes you bolder, Even Children Get Older
Over the next few years, Regulus began hungering for education. At first he was satisfied with reading the histories to learn from others, but eventually he began wanting to do things himself. This transformed the interest in learning from others into the need to learn. Mock dueling with Kreacher, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan no longer held the thrill that it once had. He needed more. Part of the reason was that he could sense the rest were growing bored with it, as their own skills had surpassed anything that could be utilized in harmless play.
Along side this, though, was the need to experience the art of doing rather than simply the art of understanding which he had already achieved through reading. When he asked, Kreacher attempted to teach him spells, but human and elf magic was not so compatible for such things, and both quickly grew frustrated and disappointed in their failed attempts. Eight year old Regulus was bored and needed more. He went from studying wizarding history to books on magical theory.
The family library was extensive, and Regulus felt his interests expanding to take more of it in. As a young child of five and six, he'd devoured fairy tales and mythology before moving onto history when he was seven. Though the magical theory he chose to tackle was at times dry and complex, his hunger for knowledge was so great that he stuck it out nonetheless.
He read passages over and over until he at last understood them. Those that he could not grasp, he presented to Orion, asking for His father always patiently obliged with an explanation, taking time to cover each point until Regulus understood whatever it was that he wished to know. When he eventually wanted to try out some spells, Orion allowed him to borrow his wand. "It won't work as well, as it is not your own wand, so don't allow that to discourage you," he warned. When Regulus eagerly pushed to be allowed a wand early, Orion regretfully shook his head. "The Ministry won't allow it."
Regulus felt his lower lip jutting out resentfully. "It's all due to the Muggles and their fears," he complained. "The Ministry would even encourage children to start using magic at a younger age so long as they had supervision if not for fear they would do it in front of the Muggles!""
Orion gave a nod, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You are a wise observant child, and I am very proud of you. It is an unfortunate consequence of the choice to go into hiding from the Muggles, yes."
"Do you truly believe they would've killed us all off in the wars had we not chosen to hide, Father?" It sounded so ludicrous that Regulus found it difficult to believe even though he knew it was true.
Orion shook his head. "No, of course not. Wizarding kind would have lived on, though in far diminished numbers and our numbers are already too few, which is why Muggles had the advantage."
Regulus gave a resigned sigh, because at least that made sense. "Muggles," he grumbled under his breath. Working spells with his father's wand was more difficult and the spells were not nearly as accurate as they should be, but once he allowed himself to get over the frustration of that, he enjoyed the process for what he'd originally wanted. This wasn't to perform the spell perfectly, but rather to understand the principles of how it worked. He began with basics, casting Lumos and Nox, conjuring items, and levitating them. His father did not believe that conjuring was basic, but Regulus disagreed. It made general life far more convenient, so therefore was basic as was lighting or darkening a room.
At first, he thought he had found a solution in an older well used tome titled What Came Before Wandlore. Though some of its introduction was pointless, complaining about modern times(which the book's author considered to be about 450 years ago, before the magic reform of education took over) the rest kind of made sense. It explained how there was a time long ago, before the production of wands was improved upon and made massively accessible, when wizards and witches actually had to understand what the spells were doing, to achieve the results they needed, with a controlled degree of accuracy.
"It had been stated by figures of great antiquity and recorded first in the now lost manuscript of S. Slytherin's mentor himself, Angus of Albania, that 'any spell was an attempt to change reality' and while many take such a change for granted, it is often ignored in our experience that to change reality you must first understand its nature..." It all made sense to Regulus, up to this point at least. Then the book went into the explanation of the Lumos mechanics. With complicated diagrams of what the magical state of the system was before, and what the Lighting spell actually accomplished, by bringing the closed system to an entirely different state...and Regulus's mind began to spin and wander off.
It was a shame that such a neat concept had to get so complicated when it came down to details. And even trying to take the explanations one step at a time, about what darkness actually meant in the larger sense of the word, did not make his accuracy of casting Nox any better either. If anything, the spells themselves became less effective than before, which was more frustrating than he could ever have imagined. Especially after acquiring the hope that he found such a simple solution that would make things clear and put him ahead of other students of magic.
Wandless magic had seemed like such an exciting alternative that would afford him even more freedom and instead, it was a vast disappointment. The footnotes in the book did explain that some spells would get better with practice. That repeated action was the key to understanding the details, while self doubt would instead decrease the efficacy. Well that was something at least, Regulus decided, as he put the book carefully away into its usual spot, between Controlling Forgotten Beasts and the 600 year old edition of How to Use Magical Locations to Your Benefit.
And despite his best intentions, for one reason or another, he never went back to look at the book again. He thought he would, when he felt ready for, but as the days passed, the feeling of being ready never came.
Eventually he became bored due to the lack of accuracy and returned to simply studying the construction of spells in books of charms and enchantments. It was his intention to return to the art of wandless magic once he had a more thorough understanding of spell crafting in general for it seemed very necessary. When he mentioned his explorations into wandless arts to Bella and Rod during one of their visits, both insisted that wandless magic was far more difficult rather than just a lost art.
"It takes far more focus without the extra boost of power a wand gives," Bellatrix insisted. "It is difficult even for us now, but it is useful so we are practicing it."
"When we have time," Rodolphus added with a bored yawn.
This lack of deep interest on their part made Regulus feel far better about not grasping it right away. Still it was frustrating as he very much wanted to cast spells now rather than waiting years to attend Hogwarts and do it there as he was supposed to. Seeing that he was still restless and bored, Orion bought him a broom for Christmas when he was nine.
"It is not a wand, but it is something magical that you can use in my supervision and practice magical control with," he explained. "Not to mention, flying is excellent physical exercise. Keeping the body fit is nearly as important as doing so for the mind for the two are more interconnected than you might think." Regulus loved the combination of physical exertion combined with magic, because the broom had magic. It was engaging and fun, two things a nine-year-old boy very much required. He invited Kreacher to share the broom, but the elf wasn't very interested, so Regulus would play on it when Kreacher was busy in the kitchen.
Broom or no broom, Regulus's ninth year of life was rather exciting, for it was then that Sirius went off to Hogwarts! Though Regulus did look forward to the day when he would also be attending Hogwarts, he also relished the idea of nine or so months out of the year with no Sirius about the manor making life miserable for everyone. Orion and Walburga were pleased when Andi kindly offered to take Sirius along with her to the train station so they didn't have to bother.
He liked Andi and she was responsible enough to look out for him, so they felt safe leaving him in her hands. Unfortunately, she was in her final year at Hogwarts, so next year they would have to attend to it themselves. Not having Sirius about to bother anyone or be angry all the time was as grand as Regulus expected it to be. Everyone was free to be cheerful and just relax and enjoy life without Sirius dampening the mood with his anger and resentment. All good things had to come to an end, or so it seemed, for Sirius came home for Christmas. Kreacher jump started the holidays by beginning to feel gloomy the day before students returned home from Hogwarts. When Regulus asked him why, Kreacher gave him a look of open surprise.
"Why Master Sirius shall be home tomorrow! Did Master Regulus forget somehow? Kreacher is only preparing himself in advance. Otherwise the loss of holiday cheer may be too much." The elf sighed as Regulus nodded in understanding. While he understood where Kreacher was coming from, he wouldn't have minded savoring the last day of peace and happiness, avoiding thoughts of Sirius's imminent return. Before he could express as much, Kreacher continued. "Kreacher recalls a time before Master Sirius was born when there was truly a such thing as Christmas cheer. He was quite young, Kreacher was, but he remembers. If only Master Regulus had been about then. Such fun we would've had enjoying the holidays without Master Sirius terrorizing us."
"That would be nice," Regulus agreed. "For now, though, we can enjoy the last of our uninterrupted holiday cheer by eating as many of your delightful sugar Christmas cookies as our stomachs can hold!"
"Kreacher would have to make them first as he has made none yet."
Regulus grinned. "Precisely! I shall sit with you in the kitchen while you do. We can turn on the Wizarding Wireless and listen to the holiday music that is already on. We can have a little Christmas party. I shall even invite the parents!"
A small grin tugged at Kreacher's lips and Regulus's own smile grew in anticipation of the soon to come Christmas cookies. Kreacher's holiday gloom was clearly wavering! "Kreacher shall make the holiday gingerbread cinnamon tea to go with the cookies. Would Master Regulus like that?"
Regulus sprang to his feet and hugged Kreacher tightly. "Oh yes! That sounds perfect."
Kreacher gave a pleased smile. "Kreacher would like it too. We shall have a grand time before the shadow of Master Sirius returns to darken Christmas."
"We shall indeed," Regulus agreed happily. "Put on the radio and I shall bring Mum and Dad. We can enjoy the tea and holiday music together while the cookies bake."
Kreacher even allowed Regulus to help add the vanilla flavored red and green sprinkles to the cookies once they were done! Walburga and Orion sang along to the holiday songs on the radio and the kitchen was warm and cozy, full of delicious scents. They all even ate so many cookies that they were too full for dinner!
"Santa would be pleased," Orion said with a boyish grin.
"Why," Kreacher and Regulus asked nearly at the same time.
"Because Santa likes cookies," Walburga said and Orion nodded, giving her a pleased smile.
"Burga always understands," he said fondly.
Sirius returned home the next day as expected, clearly as unhappy to be home as they were to have him back.
"I made friends at Hogwarts," he told Regulus at dinner. His tone was clearly threatening as he glared across the dining table at him. "They will be happy to help me make you sorry if you cause me any trouble once you start at Hogwarts when you are eleven."
Kreacher gasped in rage, and Regulus swallowed, feeling his stomach lurch at the idea of Sirius with new friends coming after him. Sirius was bad enough on his own, keeping he and Kreacher on their toes hiding from him. Mainly they hid, because Kreacher was still uncomfortable using his superior elf magic on Sirius. He deserved it and Regulus had told Kreacher repeatedly that his Mum would not care, but for some reason Kreacher was still afraid.
"Are these friends of yours Mudbloods," Walburga asked suspiciously. "I have heard from Druella that Andi is actually dating one, and that she tried unsuccessfully to hide it." Her lip curled in open disgust. "Mudbloods!"
Sirius shook his head, lower lip jutting out resentfully. "No. But if they were, it wouldn't matter to me, because they're my friends."
"Wouldn't matter!" Walburga demanded, but Regulus wasn't surprised. It was Sirius, after all."
"He is only doing it to shame the family, Mum," he pointed out.
Walburga nodded. "If he keeps it up, he shall get himself wiped from the tree as shall Andi if she does not shape up. Mark my words!"
"I don't care," Sirius snapped. "I don't want to be a part of this horrid family anyway!"
"Keep it up and you shan't be," Walburga promised. "If you or your friends so much as lay a finger on Regulus once he starts at Hogwarts, you are off the tree!"
Regulus could not help but smile at that.