Regulus Arcturus Black

Regulus Arcturus Black was a pure-blood wizard, the younger son of Orion and Walburga Black, and the brother of Sirius Black. As a member of the ancient and noble House of Black, Regulus was initially a follower of Lord Voldemort and became a Death Eater in his youth. However, he became disillusioned with the Dark Lord and courageously sacrificed his life in an attempt to destroy one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. His story, revealed posthumously, proves to be a critical piece of the puzzle for Harry Potter in his quest to defeat Voldemort, establishing Regulus as an unsung hero of the First Wizarding War.

Regulus grew up at Number 12, Grimmauld Place with his parents and older brother, Sirius. Unlike Sirius, who rebelled against his family's pure-blood supremacist views, Regulus was the dutiful son. He embraced his family's beliefs and was favored by his parents. His bedroom was decorated with Slytherin banners and newspaper clippings about Lord Voldemort. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into Slytherin House. He was a skilled Quidditch player, serving as the Seeker for the Slytherin team. Influenced by his family's ideals and a youthful admiration for power, he joined the Death Eaters at approximately sixteen years of age.

Regulus's loyalty to Voldemort shattered when the Dark Lord requisitioned his beloved house-elf, Kreacher, to help hide Slytherin's Locket, which was a Horcrux. Voldemort took Kreacher to a hidden seaside cave, forced him to drink the Emerald Potion in the basin, and abandoned him to be killed by the Inferi in the surrounding lake. Kreacher, however, managed to escape using house-elf magic—a possibility Voldemort had overlooked—and returned to a horrified Regulus. Upon hearing Kreacher's story, Regulus understood the true evil of his master and the nature of the locket. Determined to thwart Voldemort, he created a duplicate of the locket and wrote a note addressed to the Dark Lord, which he placed inside. He then ordered Kreacher to take him to the cave. There, Regulus drank the debilitating potion himself to spare his house-elf. He successfully switched the lockets, gave the real Horcrux to Kreacher, and ordered him to leave without him and destroy it. As he tried to quench his intense thirst from the lake, Regulus was dragged to his death by the Inferi. He died at the age of eighteen.

A photograph in Sirius's room showed Regulus as a “thinner, less handsome version of Sirius,” with the characteristic dark hair of the Black family and a “look of slight haughtiness.” Initially, Regulus appeared to be an arrogant and dutiful follower of his family's prejudiced traditions. However, his final actions revealed immense bravery, a deep capacity for compassion, and a powerful moral compass. His love for his house-elf, Kreacher, was the catalyst for his defiance of Voldemort, demonstrating a kindness that was rare in the House of Black. Kreacher remembered him with immense love and loyalty, referring to him as “Master Regulus,” and was deeply grieved by his death.

• Advanced Magic: Regulus was skilled enough to create a perfect replica of Slytherin's Locket, a feat that would require a high level of proficiency in Charms or Transfiguration.
• Quidditch: He was a talented Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team.
• Dark Arts: As a former Death Eater, he possessed knowledge of the Dark Arts.

• Replica Locket: A perfect copy of Slytherin's Locket that he created and used to replace the real Horcrux.
• Note to the Dark Lord: A defiant message placed inside the replica locket, informing Voldemort that he knew his secret and had stolen the real Horcrux. It was signed with his initials, R.A.B.
• Bedroom Furnishings: His room at Number 12, Grimmauld Place contained Slytherin-themed decorations, a collection of clippings about Voldemort, and photos of his friends and family.

• Sirius Black: Regulus had a strained relationship with his older brother. They were ideological opposites, with Sirius rejecting the family beliefs that Regulus embraced. Sirius initially dismissed Regulus as a “silly little idiot” who died for the Death Eaters, unaware of the true, heroic nature of his death.
• Orion and Walburga Black: Regulus was the favored son, as he upheld the family's pure-blood values. His parents were proud of his alignment with the Dark Lord, though they grew frantic when he disappeared, unaware he had defected.
• Kreacher: Regulus shared a bond of mutual affection and loyalty with his house-elf. He treated Kreacher with a kindness and respect that was uncharacteristic for the Black family, and it was this relationship that ultimately led to his heroic sacrifice. Kreacher's devotion to Regulus was absolute.
• Lord Voldemort: Regulus was at first a loyal follower, but he turned against the Dark Lord with fierce resolve after witnessing his cruelty and disregard for other living beings.

• Regulus: The name of the brightest star in the constellation Leo, also known as Alpha Leonis or the “Lion's Heart.” In Latin, the name means “little king” or “prince.” The name follows the Black family's tradition of naming children after stars and constellations. The “Lion's Heart” meaning is a deeply ironic and fitting tribute to his ultimate, Gryffindor-like courage.
• Arcturus: The name of another bright star, found in the constellation Boötes. It was also the name of his paternal grandfather, Arcturus Black III.

• The full name Regulus Arcturus Black was confirmed by J.K. Rowling on the Black Family Tree she created as supplementary material for the series (Pottermore).
• In the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, the discovery of the R.A.B. note is a key moment, but the identity and backstory of Regulus are not revealed until the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*.