[225] What Have I Done

Before Sirius could recover, the terrifying magic vanished instantly. He looked around, confused.

Hall was unaware his magic had leaked.

He began his fourth time travel attempt.

But this time was different. Instead of landing smoothly, the journey stretched endlessly. A multicoloured passage appeared before Hall's eyes — a passage of time.

Hall's intuition told him to investigate. His reason told him not to. Getting lost in time would be extremely dangerous.

After pondering for an unknown time — after all, this was a time array where time could exist in any form — Hall cautiously walked towards the passage.

The moment he touched it, a burst of dazzling light erupted.

Countless images flashed before Hall's eyes.

"This is too much..." Hall swayed, struggling to regain his balance.

Within an extremely short time, a massive amount of information flooded Hall's mind. If he hadn't possessed the memory palace to receive it, his brain would have been overwhelmed. Even so, his memory palace was now full — on the verge of exploding.

Quickly organise it.

Hall closed his eyes and began to process the information.

The past of this land surfaced in his mind. An era when multiple races coexisted — elves, fairies, dragons, centaurs, unicorns still roaming the world. Humans were not yet the true rulers. Then humans established kingdoms.

Hall took a deep breath. The air in his memory was filled with powerful magic. When magical concentration became too high, it condensed and fell as rain. Magical herbs grew wildly.

In that environment, powerful wizards were easily born without exceptional talent.

The environment gradually deteriorated. By the time of the four founders, magical concentration had decreased to normal levels. Only wizards with exceptional talent could absorb it — the four founders were such wizards.

In modern times, only exhaust fumes remained.

Hall clicked his tongue. So many advantages to being born early. But 1980 was good. In another six or seven years, he could welcome the twenty-first century. The era with electricity and the internet.

"However," Hall smiled, "I know what to do next."

Time is the most mysterious concept. Those who want to reverse time must be prepared to be fooled by time.

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Hall shifted the location target from Sirius to Regulus. The Inferius Regulus no longer possessed the aura of a living person, but he was still a descendant of the Black family.

It took Hall eleven attempts across 1971 to 1978 to obtain fresh traces of Regulus's aura.

"Finally rid of you, you idiot." Hall gave Sirius a disdainful look.

"You — !"

"Twenty attempts just to get stuck at this step. And you dare say you haven't thought about James at all?"

Sirius shut his mouth. The truest thoughts in one's heart are the hardest to control.

With the medium shifted to Regulus, Hall tried again.

He appeared in a luxurious manor — even more extravagant than Malfoy Manor.

"Who are you?" A small voice sounded behind him.

Hall turned around. A ten-year-old boy with black hair and grey eyes came into view. The signature grey eyes of the Black family. Younger and more handsome, but recognisable as Regulus.

Hall confirmed his location. The Black family mansion — the true home of the Black family. Number 12 Grimmauld Place was merely one of their London properties.

Hall smiled at Regulus. "Want to make a deal with me?"

The young Regulus, dressed in fine clothes, eyed Hall warily.

"What deal?"

Hall smiled. "Aren't you going to ask who I am, or why I'm making a deal with you?"

Hall was genuinely curious. He had seen Regulus as an Inferius. He had seen Black, Narcissa, and Sirius. The two brothers had completely different personalities.

This was Hall's first real encounter with Regulus. He was much calmer than Hall had imagined.

A flicker of surprise crossed Regulus's eyes, then his emotions settled. He gave Hall a polite smile — a formulaic smile, identical to pure-blood wizards like Lucius and Draco.

"I am indeed curious. For example, how did you infiltrate the Black family mansion without triggering the curse?"

Hall paused. So the Black mansion had curses?

He touched a ring in his robe pocket. The ring was engraved with the Black family crest. A token given to him by Sirius to quickly gain Regulus's trust.

Regulus maintained the same template smile on his youthful face — polite yet distant. "As for the deal... you are a powerful figure. As long as your proposal doesn't harm the Black family's interests, obeying you isn't a bad thing."

Hall exhaled. Watching Regulus calmly analyse the pros and cons, he understood why this boy had so resolutely betrayed Voldemort after becoming a Death Eater.

But Hall still harboured a touch of mischief. He couldn't stand the boy's arrogant demeanour.

"Your brother, Sirius Black, commissioned me."

Regulus's eyes widened. "Who did you say?!" His composure shattered. "You're lying! Sirius... he wouldn't make a deal with me!"

His small face was tense, like molten lava about to erupt.

"Don't be so absolute." Hall stepped forward, extending his hand. "Hall Weasley, third-year Slytherin."

Regulus was thrown into a daze. A strange surname. A strange house.

"Are you teasing me?"

Hall stopped laughing. "I wasn't teasing you. Look." He tugged at his tie and shook his school robes.

Regulus stared. Red and silver-green together were a disaster.

"But I've never heard of a Weasley joining Slytherin." Regulus struggled to regain his composure.

Just as Sirius Black becoming a Gryffindor was common knowledge, the Weasleys were famous for generations of Gryffindors. A Weasley in Slytherin would have the wizarding world buzzing for months.

"Let me introduce myself again." Hall's smile widened. "Hall Weasley, born March 1, 1980. Enrolled in 1991."

Regulus's pupils dilated. "Born in 1980... but it's only 1971!"

Hall nodded. It was Christmas at the Black mansion.

"A Time-Turner?" Regulus's expression hardened. "What do you want to do?"

Hall raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking? Do you really think you've sided with the Dark Lord to rule the wizarding world, and I've come to stop it?"

Regulus's fist clenched. This guy was so annoying. And so Slytherin-esquely sarcastic.