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. 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 Horcruxes 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.

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 Eaters, indicating an early fascination with the Dark Arts and Voldemort's cause.

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.

At around the age of sixteen, Regulus fulfilled his family's expectations by joining the Death Eaters. 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.

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.

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.

• 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 Horcruxes 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.

• 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.”

• 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 Eaters. However, upon learning the truth of Regulus's death from Kreacher, Sirius's expression changed to one of shocked respect.
• 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.

• 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.

• 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).