More people arrived, not just those Black family relatives, but some officials from the Ministry of Magic also arrived, as well as some of Felix’s friends, and he even saw the figure of Rita Skeeter, a woman who kept a low profile and was classified as the least popular reporter since her Animagus was exposed.
Sirius didn’t really know this woman well and shouldn’t know this information yet, but Harry has reminded him in a whisper.
The funeral ceremony had officially begun.
In the green grass, Regulus’ coffin is surrounded by flowers, and he quietly laid inside, his angular face filled with peace, as if asleep. He is wearing an emerald green robe embroidered with the Black family crest, and in the corner of the coffin is engraved with the Black family motto in French: Toujours Pur (Always Pure).
Sirius looked at the solemn faces of the audience, knowing that there would be a hard battle to be fought today, only the main character might not be him, he took a deep breath and calmly read the eulogy.
” I thank you all for coming, among you are old friends of the Black family, in-laws, as well as my friends, mentors, and wizards with reputations in various professions.”
“I once heard that a man’s lifespan is not only based on the number of days he lived, but it also counts the time he remained in people’s memory after his death. I went through that line again and again for a while, and I would like to add one more point, maybe that the image he has in people’s memory is also important. Regulus started from being a well-mannered Nobleman to becoming a follower of the dark lord who started the war … It will be extremely unfair to just stop here. I am honored to proclaim, on this day, at the funeral of my brother Regulus Arcturus Black, the merits of a man who dedicated his life to the great cause of fighting against the dark lord, as he demonstrated courage and perseverance far beyond the ordinary man on a long and lonely road.”
He read on in one breath, in spite of the uproar among the audience –
“His merits were witnessed by Albus Dumbledore and Felix Hap, who will speak after me … At school, Regulus was an outstanding seeker, bringing honour to his house, and he treated people with sincerity, integrity, warmth, and courtesy …”
Sirius finished reading the eulogy and walked off the stage. Harry comforted him lightly, to which he shook his head and looked at Dumbledore.
There is a lot of murmuring among the guests, Sirius’s words shocked them, and some let out a sneer: “Is this his attempt to turn the tables for his brother?” And more people stared at Dumbledore, so if Sirius was telling the truth, then Dumbledore’s next statement carried extreme weight.
Dumbledore nodded slightly, stepped forward, and made his point: “Regulus Arcturus Black, showed us the process of growing up of an immature young man. In his childhood, he was deeply influenced by his family and parents, with this imprint he stepped into school and made friends …”
“He is exposed to more new perspectives and learned to think, perhaps immature or maybe naive, but let’s not overlook his growth in the process and the potential he showed. When he stepped out of school and saw the reality of the world with his own eyes, reality and ideals collided fiercely in his mind. That’s when he shows us how a Noble Soul thinks: do the right thing and rise above all. He has to fight against certain deeply rooted ideas in his mind, fight alone, and he ultimately won.”
“He recognized Voldemort’s true face and gave him a good blow. He died unnoticed, but we will not forget this young, blazing soul who was only 18 years old.”
“The war is never far from us, perhaps one day, it will suddenly erupt in a way we would not expect, and as long as there is a breath, we will not stop fighting. When we hold the wand, for love, for the well-being of the public, there will be someone who will sacrifice his life for the greater good, and will bring us inexhaustible spiritual wealth.”
Dumbledore’s words set off even bigger waves, Rita Skeeter hid in a corner, pulling quill and parchment from her pocket, a thin bead of sweat emerging from her nose from the excitement, the quill fluttered rapidly.
Felix paced over, “Rita, heroes are not to be slandered.”
Rita Skeeter, the woman’s body stiffened, and then a smile appeared: “Of course, Mr. Hap is planning to reveal more inside information?” She did not move and crumpled the parchment into a ball.
“Making up stories is what you are good at, as long as you don’t discredit Regulus, I have no other comments.”
Rita Skeeter shoved the end of the quill into her mouth and kept sucking on it. In just a few seconds, she thought of something and her eyes lit up: “I’m going to write about the Dark Lord from Regulus’ point of view, from worship to disillusionment, through the eyes of a Death Eater, what do you think?”
Felix gave her a surprised look: “You’re not afraid of retaliation?”
“Sir, the true fanatical followers of the Dark Lord are in Azkaban, and the ones out here are a bunch of cowards.” Rita Skeeter said contemptuously, “A bunch of fence-sitters, you couldn’t find a better word to describe them.”
“I’ll be waiting to read your masterpiece, then.” Felix said.
On the other side, someone had already started to question Dumbledore –
“Dumbledore, are you telling the truth?” Barty Crouch frowned. Regulus joining the Death Eaters had been an accepted thing at one point, as his parents hadn’t shied away from it. But the Ministry of Magic did not put Regulus on trial after the war, because long before that, he had disappeared, and even those arrested Death Eaters did not know what had happened, perhaps died in some attempt to do some evil, or perhaps offended the Dark Lord and got killed.
“On my honour.” Dumbledore said with a smile.
“Do you have any proof?” Barty Crouch said, “If there is no evidence, the Ministry of Magic will not recognize–”
Sirius said coldly, “My brother did not fight Voldemort to gain your recognition.”
Barty Crouch’s face twitched hard; he was the one who had approved Sirius’s life sentence without trial that year, and after thirteen years, he turned out to be innocent.
Tonks came over and whispered softly to Lupin: “There are a lot more rumours in the Ministry lately, old stories being resurfaced, saying that Mr. Crouch got where he is today all because of a ruthless heart, and in addition to illegally judging Sirius, he put his own son in Azkaban without evidence, and all this for the seat of Minister of Magic. ”
“Wizengamot is already considering withdrawing his seat as a member.”
Lupin slightly helplessly moved to the side, he is not very comfortable with this kind of intimate conversation.
Soon, Felix stood in front of the crowd, he swept his eyes around, and when the chatter quieted down, he opened his mouth and said, “I approve of what Sirius and Headmaster Dumbledore said earlier, there is no need to repeat them. I happened to hear a sentence today, and decided to share with you …”
“Someone told me that people should learn to look ahead, no need to dwell on the past, the world will eventually move forward.” He said softly, “Very sensible …”
“We always do things based on our own judgment of the future, thinking that we are the only ones who see clearly and far ahead. But the question is, we all look ahead, so who exactly sees the future that will become reality?”
His eyes swept over Lucius Malfoy, who held his wife and son, standing expressionlessly, still mulling over the words Felix had just mentioned to him.
“I have not experienced war, yet I am deeply affected by it, and it seems to me that every war is a clash of different wills, sincerity, passion, and selflessness, as well as cruelty, vileness, and greed …”
Felix said softly, as his eyes pierced like a knife against a small group of people.
“Based on the past experience, when faced with a choice, some people are calculating and profit-oriented; some people flatter to be included in the high status; some people are wise to protect themselves; some people will hide …”
“But fortunately, there is another group of people; when danger comes, they choose to stand up and defy the odds to guard everything they hold dear.”
Everyone’s eyes locked on his eyes, wanting to see his innermost thoughts, while Felix simply spoke unhurriedly, “What I’m curious about is, my friends, are you prepared for the choice when it comes once again? Which path will you choose?”
“Felix Hap! What are you advocating!”
A fat male wizard growled and shouted, his voice distorted by fear: “Do you want to give orders and command us! And that crazy old man, full of lies, I should have never joined this damn-”
His words ended abruptly, his fat body trembled, making a “ho-ho” sound, followed by a spasm he fell, Felix dragged him into the thinking room, in just a few seconds his surface of consciousness burned with blazing fire seven times, although it’s only a projection of the real consciousness, the feeling of pain is real. He will be in bed for at least two weeks.
“… I saw the future that I had identified and decided to prepare for it. I wanted to be prepared for whatever obstacles I might face.” Felix concluded his remarks.
———–
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