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James's eyes went wide, his mouth falling slightly open. Remus sucked in a sharp breath, while Peter let out a short, startled cry before hastily clapping a hand over his mouth.
Sirius stood frozen in the doorway, his whole body drawn tight, fingers curling into a fist without him noticing. His instinct screamed at him to draw his wand, yet he forced himself to stop.
Helping an outsider against his own brother would look bad no matter how it ended.
And besides, he knew it would not change the outcome. Even if he stepped in, they would still lose; dragging the conflict on would only leave him looking even more humiliated.
Snape stared at the stationary red ribbon, then slowly turned his head to look at Regulus.
Lily's hand was still clutching Snape's sleeve, though she no longer seemed aware of it at all. She simply stood there, staring blankly ahead.
At last, Regulus raised his head.
He glanced at James once, his gaze calm and indifferent, like he was looking at a piece of furniture. Then his eyes returned to the red ribbon. His right hand still held the quill, while his left loosely gripped his wand and gave the faintest flick.
The vivid red light dulled, fading from bright to muted. Its solid form thinned, turned transparent, then began to break apart, like ice melting under warmth, splitting into countless tiny points of red light.
Those specks floated in the air, slowly spinning, before vanishing without a sound.
The process was neither rushed nor slow; everyone saw it clearly, from start to finish.
The wand vanished abruptly from Regulus's hand. His left hand settled back onto the desk, his head lowered again as he continued writing. The quill moved steadily across the parchment, producing a soft, even scratching sound.
As if nothing at all had happened just now.
The silence lasted for at least ten seconds.
James Potter was still holding his wand aloft, his posture stiff, frozen like a statue.
His eyes were wide, and behind his glasses his pupils reflected nothing but empty air.
Right there, only ten seconds ago, a fully formed Expelliarmus had been halted, dismantled, and erased, as though it had never existed at all.
"You…" James's voice caught in his throat. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "What did you do?"
Regulus didn't answer, nor did he even look up at him again for a single glance.
James clenched his fist, as though struggling with some intense internal debate. Anger flared at Regulus's complete disregard, sharp and humiliating, but in the end he did not lash out.
Because he knew. Or rather, he had learned.
In the appendix of Standard Book of Spells: Grade One, there was a brief mention of it. In theory, a wizard powerful enough could directly interfere with and collapse the spell structure of a weaker caster through sheer magical interference.
The more you understood, the more terrifying the implication became.
James Potter loved pranks, was arrogant, and carried a deep prejudice against Slytherin, but he was certainly not stupid.
His father had taught him the basics of spell theory. He had seen adult wizards cast advanced magic, and he had read enough to recognize the signs.
So he understood that what had just happened was not a first-year pulling off some clever trick. It was something far beyond his expectations, something he had just witnessed with his own eyes.
And the person who had done it was sitting there quietly, as if he were no more worth noticing than a fly.
James's fist tightened, the wand digging into his palm; he wanted to throw out some sharp, mocking remark to salvage his pride, but his throat felt dry, and not a single word would come.
"What was that spell?" Remus asked very softly, shifting his position to stand slightly in front of James.
"It wasn't a spell," Sirius said, finally speaking. He stepped into the compartment and stopped beside James, his gaze falling on Regulus.
He had not expected Regulus to have reached this level already. He understood exactly what it represented, the skill, precision, and control behind it, and the realization left his thoughts tangled in a way he could not easily untangle or express.
Maybe it was some family secret he had never been told about.
"What do you mean?" James snapped, turning to him, his tone edged with irritation.
"I mean you can't beat him," Sirius replied, his tone deliberately even. He positioned himself squarely between his friend and his brother, careful not to seem biased.
Then he added more quietly, "At least not right now. So don't mess with him."
James opened his mouth, ready to argue, but his eyes flicked to Regulus, then to the empty spot where the spell had vanished moments earlier. In the end, he said nothing.
Regulus finally looked up at Sirius. He gave a very slight nod, barely noticeable, then lowered his head again, returning his attention to his notebook.
They left.
Out in the corridor, Lily Evans and Severus Snape were still standing there.
Lily's hand had already fallen away from Snape's sleeve, yet she remained at his side. Her green eyes were wide as she looked from Regulus to the place where the spell had disappeared.
Snape's expression was darker than usual. He stared at Regulus; his eyes filled with open wariness.
"Are you alright?" Lily asked first, directing the question at Regulus.
Regulus raised his head, his gaze passing over both Lily and Snape.
"Thank you for coming," he said calmly. "Although, strictly speaking, Mr. Snape is the one who deserves thanks. The spell was aimed at him in the first place."
Lily was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting that response. But he was not wrong. "Oh… no. I mean… it's nothing, really."
Snape's mouth twitched slightly. He continued to stare at Regulus. "How did you do that?"
Regulus did not answer. Instead, he stood and introduced himself.
"Before answering that, perhaps we should properly get to know each other. I'm Regulus Black."
"Black?" Lily's eyes widened slightly. "You're… Sirius Black's brother?"
Regulus gave a small nod, his right shoulder and hand moving outward just a fraction.
"I'm Lily Evans." The confirmation clearly caught her off guard, and she quietly drew in a breath. Her tone then became a little more formal than before. "Second year, Gryffindor. And this is Severus Snape, also a second year, Slytherin."
Snape pressed his lips into a thin line and gave a stiff, minimal nod.
Regulus inclined his head politely to both of them. "I know your names."
Lily blinked. "You do?"
"Professor Slughorn mentioned you," Regulus said, his tone as natural as if he were stating an obvious fact.
"He said there are two second-year students at Hogwarts whose talent in Potions far exceeds their peers: Lily Evans and Severus Snape. He suggested that if I had the chance, I should speak with you more."
Lily's face flushed slightly. From sheer happiness, her eyes lit up, and a sincere smile curved her lips. "Really? Professor Slughorn said that?"
Snape's expression was far more complicated. His chin lifted just a little, the pride of being acknowledged surfacing, yet his eyes remained guarded.
He was far too familiar with words like that. Talent far beyond one's peers sounded like praise, but in Slytherin, it often bundled with an unspoken message… your blood does not deserve your talent.
"So you know who we are," Snape said, his voice a little dry as he pulled the conversation back to the earlier moment. "But what we just saw… that defiantly isn't something a first year should be capable of, is it, Mr. Black?"
Regulus looked at him. He knew that Snape, especially at this age, was sensitive and insecure, yet deeply proud, a mass of contradictions wrapped tightly together.
When it came to pure-bloods, Snape was wary of them, but at the same time, he longed to be accepted by them.
Regulus explained evenly, "Spell analysis and magical interference! The principles themselves aren't complicated; they just demand extremely precise control."
And, of course, magical perception.
"How precise?" Snape pressed.
Sensitive, insecure, proud… and lacking in manners, too, Regulus noted silently, though he did not mind. Snape was valuable.
"Precise enough that most adult wizards can't do it," Regulus replied calmly. "I've practiced for a long time."
Lily looked at him with open curiosity. "How old were you when you started practicing magic?"
"As long as I can remember," Regulus said nonchalantly. "My family has a library."
The Black family's library was indeed well known, though in truth, every ancient family had its own collection.
But no amount of books alone could teach a child advanced magical techniques without guidance.
However, Lily accepted the explanation anyway. She came from a Muggle family, her home had no such library, and she had no idea what education in a pure-blood household really looked like.
She nodded, a bit more warmth entering her green eyes. "So you're… the kind of person who likes studying too."
"Studying is necessary," Regulus agreed with a nod. "For wizards, knowledge is power."
Silently, he added that for Muggles, it was even more so.
That line made Snape's eyebrow lift slightly. He glanced at Regulus again, the wariness in his eyes easing just a little, replaced by a trace of approval.
"Then," Snape asked, "which House are you planning to go to?"
"Slytherin," Regulus answered without hesitation. "It's a family tradition."
Lily's expression dimmed for a moment. She glanced at Snape, then back at Regulus. Her lips moved as if she were weighing her words before she finally said, "Slytherin… isn't bad. Severus is there."
At the same time, she thought to herself, but there are a lot of people there who hate someone like me.
Regulus understood, and he simply nodded. "Every House has people worth learning from, and people who aren't worth your time."
That brought the light back to Lily's face. She smiled. "You're right. Then… see you at the Sorting Ceremony?"
"See you at the Sorting Ceremony."
Lily tugged gently at Snape's sleeve. "We should head back, Severus."
Snape gave Regulus one last look, then nodded and turned away. Lily waved at Regulus and followed after him.
The compartment fell quiet once more.
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