A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

Felix, refusing to believe it, tried it repeatedly and found that it was indeed damaged. At present, it is just an hourglass-shaped decorative piece, which eventually became one of Niffler Valen's collections.

Monday, July 16th.

The sky was overcast. Felix was dressed in a black suit. He had taken off the emerald ring on his left hand and the ouroboros ring on his right hand and put them in his pocket. Niffler was also put into his silver pocket watch and kept close to his body.

Today is the day of Sirius's brother Regulus's funeral. Felix finished getting ready and came out.

A light rain began to fall. Felix, wearing the Humanoid Armor Charm, arrived at the funeral site. Many people had already arrived, all dressed in black robes or formal attire. Among the group of adults, several children stood out—the red-haired Ron Weasley, the black-haired Harry Potter, and the platinum-blonde-haired Draco Malfoy.

He also saw many familiar faces, including Tonks, Buddy Crouch, the Malfoys, the Longbottoms, Neville's grandmother, and so on.

Others sat together, and when Felix approached, they all looked uneasy.

Felix smiled as he saw the face of the Parkinson family patriarch, a flushed, purplish-red that looked particularly strange on him.

"They're all acquaintances."

Chapter 320 Lucius Malfoy

Felix glanced around; some people smiled at him, some looked wary, and others lowered their heads, pretending not to see him.

“Felix! I’ve been waiting for you.” Sirius strode over, hugged Felix tightly, and whispered, “Thank God, I almost thought I had infiltrated the Death Eaters.”

Felix smiled and said softly, "You invited him yourself, didn't you?"

Sirius sighed. "They're all related by marriage, it's written in the family tree, there's nothing we can do... Frank and Alice are also very uncomfortable." He released Felix, and Harry, Ron, and Draco walked over.

“Professor.” “Professor Haip.” “Hello, Professor Haip.” They said to each other.

Felix nodded to them, and Draco glanced at the other two. Seeing that they had no intention of leaving, he whispered, "Professor, my father would like to speak with you alone..." Harry and Ron's eyes widened immediately, like cats smelling mice.

“Now?” Felix looked in surprise toward the Malfoys. Lucius Malfoy, with his wife in his arms and a snake-headed cane in his other hand, was chatting and laughing with Mr. Crouch. Crouch had a stern face and an unyielding expression. He rarely spoke, mostly listening, occasionally responding with “Yes,” “I agree,” or “Perhaps there is a better way.”

Between words, Lucius glanced over, a reserved smile on his face. “Excuse me, Mr. Crouch.” He walked over, switched his cane to his left, and extended his hand. “Hello, Mr. Hyp, I have been looking forward to meeting you formally.”

“Mr. Malfoy—”

“Call me Lucius, and I’ll call you Felix. I’m close to Severus,” Lucius Malfoy said, shaking hands with Felix. “I was his prefect when he entered school.” He stared at Felix with his grey eyes.

"Alright, Lucius, do you want to know how Malfoy is doing at school?"

“Actually… it’s some personal matters,” Lucius said.

“Alright,” Felix nodded, “this way please—”

The two found a secluded spot behind an oak tree, where Lucius's face was half-hidden in the shadows. From a distance, Harry and Ron openly peered in, and Ron asked Draco, "What are you two up to?"

Draco looked at him with disdain. Ron's robe seemed to be a modified old formal suit, the edges of the cuffs were faded, and the color wasn't pure black. "If I were you, I would be ashamed to death wearing a robe like that in public—Ronnie," he said, drawing out the words.

Ron was trembling with anger, and Harry quickly pulled him back. Today was Regulus's funeral, and he didn't want them to fight here. Harry stood in front of Ron, intending to mock Draco Malfoy, but a surprised voice rang out behind Draco, making him freeze.

“Draco, you just, you just—” Narcissa looked at him hesitantly, her gaze shifting between her son and Ron, her blue eyes wide with disbelief as if she had overheard a shocking secret.

"Mom! It's not what you think—" Draco hurriedly explained, the nickname he used was just a sarcastic remark, and had no other meaning.

“Draco Malfoy, come with me,” Narcissa said, straightening her clothes and putting on a stern face.

Draco opened his mouth, then followed his mother dejectedly.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, and after a while, Ron suddenly shuddered, his face scrunched up: "She wouldn't be thinking—how disgusting!" Harry suppressed a laugh and said, "At least, Malfoy will never call you that again."

They peered suspiciously at the large oak tree where Professor Hyp and Lucius Malfoy were talking, wondering what they were discussing. But in reality, they were still circling around it.

"...I wrote to Dumbledore to express my concerns. Muggles and wizards are two parallel paths, but unfortunately, stories like 'The Fountain of Good Fortune' that encourage marriage between wizards and Muggles are still circulating." Lucius adopted a sanctimonious posture.

He said softly, “I don’t want my son to be influenced by reading these kinds of stories and thus taint his pure bloodline. As a father, I’ve always been careful to protect him from the interference of the complex world outside… But I suddenly realized that someone’s influence on Draco once surpassed that of me as his father. For the first time, he contradicted me, using the contents of a comic book.”

Felix smiled and said, "People always grow, rather than living up to their parents. As a professor, it's quite fulfilling to be liked by students."

“But don’t you think you’re meddling too much?” Lucius Malfoy said coldly.

"What do you mean, a Christmas present, or something else?"

“Excuse my bluntness, Felix, but you are Severus’s prized student, so we are naturally on the same side,” Lucius said, his gray eyes narrowing. “I have a shallow, insignificant reputation in the pureblood circle. We are not conservative and welcome fresh blood as well.”

“Lucius, you should have heard about what I’ve done…” Felix said, feeling that their conversation was finally getting down to business.

"Threatening some stupid fools who can't see the situation?" Lucius said. "They don't prevent us from building a friendship. You've never had a conflict with the Malfoy family."

"I'm a Muggle-friendly..."

"As long as it doesn't affect Draco."

"Some purebloods will strongly object..."

"I will mediate between them."

"I have no interest in idiots..."

"On the contrary, you will find that with a little effort, you can become their brain."

"I am Muggle-born..."

“To be precise, you came from a Muggle orphanage,” Lucius said slyly. “Judging from the talent you have shown, we have reason to believe that your bloodline is quite pure. If you wish, I will investigate and get a ‘satisfactory’ result and give you justice.”

Felix laughed. He knew Lucius's intentions. He probably represented a group of people. As Felix's presence and influence grew stronger, some people were getting restless and trying to send friendly signals. If they could bring him to their side, that would be an excellent choice.

He believed that as long as he spoke, the families that had offended him would quietly decline, and his company, which he had not yet started, would develop rapidly with the support of a hidden force. Moreover, after spending a few years or a dozen years at Hogwarts, he could freely choose between the positions of Hogwarts Headmaster and Minister of Magic.

Seeing his apparent hesitation, Lucius said in a affected tone, "The past should not be an obstacle; we should look forward. What do you say?"

"There's only one question—"

"what?"

“There’s only one problem, Lucius,” Felix said, looking into his gray eyes, “you’ve reminded me to look ahead… but I see more, much further, than you expected—”

Lucius frowned.

"Do you know how to perform Occlumency?" Felix suddenly changed the subject.

Lucius looked puzzled, and Felix finally advised him, "It won't hurt to learn more; you'll find it useful. Perhaps we'll have a chance to collaborate."

Chapter 321 Eulogy

More people arrived, not only the Black family relatives, but also some officials from the Ministry of Magic, and some of Felix's friends. He even spotted Rita Skeeter, who stood discreetly to the side, having been listed as one of the most unpopular journalists ever since her Animagus was exposed.

Sirius doesn't know much about this woman and probably doesn't know this information yet, but Harry is quietly reminding him.

The funeral ceremony officially began.

The grass was lush and green, and flowers surrounded Regulus's coffin. He lay peacefully inside, his sharply defined face serene, as if asleep. He wore a bright green robe embroidered with the Black family crest, and on one corner of the coffin was engraved the Black family motto in French: Forever Pure.

Sirius looked at the solemn faces below the stage and knew that he was about to fight a tough battle, but he might not be the main character. He took a deep breath and calmly read the eulogy.

"Thank you all for coming. Among you are old friends and in-laws of the Black family, as well as my friends, mentors, and renowned wizards from various professions."

“I have heard that a person’s lifespan is not only measured by the days he lives, but also by the time he remains in people’s memories after his death. But I have thought about it repeatedly, and perhaps we should add another point: the image he leaves in people’s memories is also very important, from a polite nobleman to a follower of a villain who started a war… It would be extremely unfair to simply stop there. I am honored to personally announce his achievements today at the funeral of my brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, who dedicated his life to the great cause of fighting the Black Demon, and who demonstrated extraordinary courage and perseverance on a long and lonely road.”

Ignoring the commotion below the stage, he continued reading in one breath—

"His achievements are witnessed by Albus Dumbledore and Felix Heap, who will speak after me... At school, Regulus was an excellent Seeker, bringing honor to his college. He was sincere, honest, warm, and polite..."

After Sirius finished reading the eulogy and stepped off the stage, Harry gently comforted him. Sirius shook his head and looked at Dumbledore.

The guests were abuzz with discussion. Sirius's words shocked them, and some sneered, "Is he trying to exonerate his brother?" But most people were staring at Dumbledore. If Sirius was just talking to himself, then Dumbledore's next words carried a lot of weight.

Dumbledore nodded slightly, stepped forward, and offered his opinion: "Regulus Arcturus Black shows us the process of a young man's growth. In his childhood, he was most deeply influenced by his family and parents, carrying this imprint as he entered school and made friends..."

"He was exposed to more new perspectives and learned to think. Perhaps he was still immature, perhaps still naive, but we should not overlook his growth in this process and the potential he showed. When he left school and saw the reality of the world with his own eyes, reality and ideals clashed fiercely in his mind. At this moment, we saw how a noble soul thinks: to do the right thing and to do it without hesitation. He had to fight against some deep-rooted ideas in his mind, fight alone, and ultimately win."

"He saw through Voldemort's true colors and dealt him a crushing blow. He died quietly, but we will never forget this young and passionate soul who was only 18 years old."

"War has never been far from us. Perhaps one day it will suddenly break out in a way we never expected. As long as we have a breath left, we will not stop fighting. When we hold the magic wand, those pioneers who sacrificed themselves for love and for the well-being of the masses will bring us countless spiritual wealth."

Dumbledore's words stirred up even more waves. Rita Skeeter hid herself in a corner, took out a quill and parchment from her pocket, and excitedly broke out in a bead of sweat on her nose as she rapidly drew the quill.

Felix strolled over: "Rita, heroes should not be slandered."

Rita Skeeter stiffened for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, Mr. Hyp, are you planning to reveal more?" She crumpled the parchment into a ball without making a sound.

“Making up stories is your forte. As long as you don’t slander Regulus, I have no other objections.”

Rita Skeeter put one end of the quill pen into her mouth and sucked on it repeatedly. In just a few seconds, she had an idea, and her eyes lit up: "I'm planning to write a story from Regulus's perspective, about the Dark Lord as seen through the eyes of a Death Eater, from worship to disillusionment. What do you think?"

Felix looked at her with surprise: "Aren't you afraid of retaliation?"

“Sir, the Dark Lord’s true fanatical followers are all in Azkaban; those outside are just a bunch of cowards,” Rita Skeeter said dismissively. “A bunch of opportunists; you can’t find a better word to describe them.”

“I look forward to reading your masterpiece,” Felix said.

On the other hand, some people have already begun to question Dumbledore—

“Dumbledore, are you telling the truth?” Barty Crouch frowned. Regulus’s joining the Death Eaters was once an open secret, as his parents didn’t shy away from it. However, the Ministry of Magic didn’t try Regulus after the war, because he had already disappeared long before that. Even the captured Death Eaters didn’t know what had happened to him; perhaps he died in some evil deed, or perhaps he angered the Dark Lord and was killed.

“I vouch for it with my reputation,” Dumbledore said with a smile.

“What evidence do you have?” Barty Crouch said. “Without evidence, the Ministry of Magic will not admit it—”

Sirius Black said coldly, "My brother didn't fight Voldemort to gain your approval."

Barty Crouch's face twitched violently. It was he who had approved Sirius Black's life imprisonment order without trial, and thirteen years later, he had been proven innocent.

Tonks leaned closer and whispered to Lupin, "There have been a lot of rumors going around in the ministry lately, bringing up old stories, saying that Mr. Crouch got to where he is today because of his ruthless heart. Besides illegally trying Sirius Black, he also imprisoned his own son in Azkaban without any evidence, and all of this was for the position of Minister of Magic."

"Wesengamo has considered withdrawing his membership."

Lupin moved to the side somewhat helplessly; he wasn't used to this intimate way of talking.

Soon, Felix stood before the crowd. He glanced around, and when the murmurs subsided, he began, "I agree with what Sirius and Headmaster Dumbledore said earlier, no need to elaborate. But I happened to hear something today that I'd like to share with you all..."

"Someone told me that people should learn to look forward and not dwell on the past; the world will eventually move forward." He said softly, "That makes a lot of sense..."

"We always act based on our own judgments about the future, believing that only we can see clearly and far ahead. But the problem is, if we all look forward, whose future will actually become reality?"

His gaze swept over Lucius Malfoy, who stood expressionless with his wife and son in his arms, still pondering Felix's words of advice.

"I haven't experienced war, but I've been deeply affected by it. In my view, every war is a clash of different wills—the sincere, passionate, and selfless, as well as the cruel, despicable, and greedy..."

Felix spoke softly, but his eyes pierced a small group of people like knives.

"Looking back on past experiences, when faced with choices, some people are meticulous and profit-driven; some flatter and curry favor to climb to higher positions; some protect themselves wisely; and some hide and avoid conflict..."

"But fortunately, there is another group of people who, when danger comes, choose to step forward and risk their lives to protect everything they cherish."