======Regulus Arcturus Black====== =====Introduction===== Regulus Arcturus Black was a pure-blood [[wizard]], the younger son of [[Orion Black|Orion]] and [[Walburga Black]], and the brother of [[Sirius Black]]. A member of the noble [[House of Black]], Regulus was sorted into [[Slytherin House]] at [[Hogwarts]] and served as the [[Seeker]] for the [[Slytherin Quidditch team]]. Initially a loyal follower of [[Lord Voldemort]] and a [[Death Eater]], Regulus became disillusioned with the [[Dark Lord]]. In an extraordinary act of bravery and defiance, he uncovered [[Voldemort]]'s secret of the [[Horcrux]]es and sacrificed his own life in an attempt to destroy one of them, [[Slytherin's Locket]]. His story is a key element in understanding the fight against [[Voldemort]] and is revealed posthumously, primarily through the testimony of his loyal [[house-elf]], [[Kreacher]]. =====Biography===== ====Early Life and Family==== Born in 1961, Regulus grew up at [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]]. Unlike his rebellious older brother, [[Sirius]], Regulus embraced his family's pure-blood supremacist ideology. He was favored by his parents, who saw him as a dutiful son who would uphold the family's dark legacy. His bedroom was decorated with [[Slytherin]] banners, the Black family crest, and newspaper clippings about [[Lord Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eater]]s, indicating an early fascination with the [[Dark Arts]] and Voldemort's cause. ====Hogwarts Years==== Regulus attended [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] from approximately 1972 to 1979, where he was sorted into [[Slytherin House]]. He was a member of the [[Slug Club]], a testament to his ambition and talent, as [[Horace Slughorn]] only collected students he believed were destined for success. He was also a skilled [[Quidditch]] player, serving as the [[Seeker]] for his house team. A photograph of the 1976 [[Slytherin Quidditch team]] with Regulus at its center was still in his bedroom years after his death. ====As a Death Eater==== At around the age of sixteen, Regulus fulfilled his family's expectations by joining the [[Death Eater]]s. [[Sirius Black]] believed his brother was drawn in by the grandeur and power promised by [[Voldemort]]. However, Regulus soon grew to fear the [[Dark Lord]] and began to have second thoughts about his allegiance. The turning point came when [[Voldemort]], requiring a [[house-elf]] to test the defenses guarding his [[Horcrux]], chose [[Kreacher]]. Voldemort took [[Kreacher]] to a hidden [[sea cave]], forced him to drink the [[Emerald Potion]] in the basin, and left him to die at the hands of the [[Inferi]] in the surrounding lake. [[Voldemort]] underestimated [[house-elf magic]], and Kreacher was able to [[Disapparate]] back to his master, Regulus. ====Defiance and Death==== Horrified by what [[Voldemort]] had done to [[Kreacher]], and realizing that the locket hidden in the cave was a [[Horcrux]], Regulus resolved to act. He created a perfect replica of [[Slytherin's Locket]] and placed a note inside it, addressed to the [[Dark Lord]]. In 1979, he ordered [[Kreacher]] to take him to the [[sea cave]]. There, Regulus drank the debilitating potion himself to access the basin. He then ordered [[Kreacher]] to swap the lockets, take the real one, and escape with the command to destroy it and to never reveal the truth to the [[Black]] family. Weakened and driven mad with thirst by the potion, Regulus crawled to the edge of the water and was dragged to his death by the [[Inferi]]. He was only eighteen years old. His family believed he had been killed by [[Voldemort]]'s enemies, never knowing of his ultimate betrayal of the [[Dark Lord]]. =====Physical Appearance and Personality===== Regulus was described as being thinner, younger, and "less conventionally handsome" than his brother, [[Sirius Black]], though he possessed the same dark hair and a "certain haughty look." Initially, he was ambitious and proud, eager to please his parents and live up to the Black family name. [[Sirius]] remembered him as a "soft-hearted idiot" who was "drawn to the glamour of the [[Dark Arts]]." However, his final actions reveal a character of immense courage, cunning, and moral depth. His affection and kind treatment of [[Kreacher]] set him apart from many pure-bloods, and this loyalty was ultimately the catalyst for his redemption. His sacrifice demonstrates a profound bravery that rivaled that of any [[Gryffindor]]. =====Magical Abilities and Skills===== * **Accomplished Wizard:** Regulus was considered a skilled wizard by [[Horace Slughorn]]. His ability to create a flawless duplicate of the locket and understand the complex magic of [[Horcrux]]es points to considerable magical talent. * **Deductive Reasoning:** He was one of the very few people to deduce [[Voldemort]]'s secret of immortality, a feat that eluded even [[Albus Dumbledore]] for many years. * **[[Quidditch]] Player:** He was a talented [[Seeker]] for the [[Slytherin Quidditch team]]. =====Possessions===== * **[[Slytherin's Locket]] (Fake):** A replica of the original [[Horcrux]] that Regulus created himself. It contained his defiant note to [[Voldemort]]. This locket was found at [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]] by the [[Order of the Phoenix]] and was later held by [[Kreacher]] until it was taken by [[Mundungus Fletcher]]. * **Note to the Dark Lord:** The piece of parchment hidden inside the fake locket. It was signed with his initials, R.A.B. (Regulus Arcturus Black), and read: //"To the Dark Lord, I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more."// =====Relationships===== * **[[Sirius Black]] (Brother):** Regulus and [[Sirius]] had a difficult and distant relationship due to their opposing views on blood purity and family loyalty. [[Sirius]] viewed Regulus as his parents' "perfect little son" who had been foolish enough to join the [[Death Eater]]s. However, upon learning the truth of Regulus's death from [[Kreacher]], [[Sirius]]'s expression changed to one of shocked respect. * **[[Orion Black|Orion]] and [[Walburga Black]] (Parents):** Regulus was the favored son who lived up to their expectations by embracing the family's dark traditions. They were proud of his service to [[Voldemort]] and mourned him without ever knowing the true, heroic circumstances of his death. * **[[Kreacher]]:** Regulus shared a bond of mutual loyalty and affection with his [[house-elf]], treating him with a kindness and respect that was uncharacteristic of the [[House of Black]]. It was this relationship that led directly to his defiance of [[Voldemort]]. [[Kreacher]] revered Regulus's memory, loyally keeping his secrets and protecting his possessions for years. * **[[Lord Voldemort]]:** Regulus once admired the [[Dark Lord]], but this turned to fear and revulsion. His defiance was a direct, personal, and incredibly brave act against the most powerful dark wizard of the age. =====Etymology===== * **Regulus:** A Latin name meaning "little king" or "prince." It is also the name of the brightest star in the constellation Leo, known as Cor Leonis or "the Lion's Heart." This is deeply ironic for a [[Slytherin]] but perfectly describes the Gryffindor-like courage he showed at the end of his life. The Black family's tradition of naming children after stars and constellations is well-established ([[Sirius]], [[Bellatrix]], [[Andromeda]], etc.). * **Arcturus:** The name of the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. It was also the name of his paternal grandfather, Arcturus Black III. =====Behind the Scenes===== * The identity of "R.A.B." was a major subject of fan speculation and theories between the publication of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince// and //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//. Regulus Arcturus Black was the most prominent and ultimately correct theory. * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, a photograph of Regulus Black is briefly seen in [[Slughorn]]'s collection. He is portrayed by actor Tom Moorcroft (film). * The full story of Regulus and R.A.B. is omitted from the sixth film and is instead revealed by [[Kreacher]] in the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1// (film).