Chapter 5

- Sorry, Barty… I'm really a little out of shape right now. - Having assessed the situation and the mood of my possible opponents, I quickly shook my head, eventually returning my gaze to the face of "my" old acquaintance. - I wasn't expecting any guests today… However, come on in, it's not polite to keep friends on the doorstep. - To no one in particular, I drawled, playing the role of a not quite adequate magician. So it was easier to hide his alertness and readiness for battle.

"What's the matter with you, Regulus. You're just not yourself. - Having stopped smiling, Barty asked me again, still responding to my invitation and entering the house. The three magicians behind him followed him, looking at my face with some bewilderment and trying to figure out what exactly could be expected from me… Their thoughts were too "loud" to penetrate beyond their frankly unsightly mental shields. - What happened to you during the few months that your house was under siege? - The guy addressed me directly, looking at my face with quite real concern.

- I was drinking. - Indifferently shrugging my shoulder, I answered quietly. "Walburga... she's dead… So I was covered a little. - I quickly found a clear reason for my condition. Don't tell a possible opponent that I'm "sick" a little bit now, especially since ordinary magicians haven't even heard anything about the aura of a wizard in this world.

- How did it happen!? - Instantly realizing my situation, a friend of this carcass asked me in shock. - I can't believe in my life that such a strong sorceress could just die out of the blue… And in a row, nothing about her death would have been known to the general public. How did she die? Barty asked, continuing to follow me deeper into the house, where it would be easier for me to fight if anything happened.

"I haven't had time to announce her death yet. I didn't even tell my brother and cousins anything… I wasn't up to it a little bit, to be honest. - I supported the conversation, without ceasing to follow the rest of the company of magicians out of the corner of my eye. - As for the causes of her death… I will probably keep silent about this. Sorry, Barty, but this is kind of a thing. I added a little dryly, having not thought out how to explain the death of my mother, as it were. Well, don't tell me that I killed her myself. This brownie could believe my lie about Imperius, an ordinary magician would immediately have a lot of questions for me.

- Nothing, I understand... the main thing is that you are relatively normal. Although, I'm still surprised that you haven't been in touch with anyone for so long. Even the Lord tried to contact you a couple of days ago. But there was no response from your mark..." The guy continued to speak with a slight suspicion, glancing in my direction. And I understood his hint immediately by exposing my left forearm, having previously hung a simple illusion of Voldemort's slave mark on it… It was quite a dangerous moment, because if the magic of illusions is noticed, I will have to engage in battle with a whole team of magicians.

"I still have the mark. Perhaps the protection of the mansion somehow prevented the doge from such a connection… However, it doesn't matter. I wouldn't have been able to answer the lord's call anyway. I just started to come to my senses more or less yesterday. And then, just because my father's bins ran out of alcohol ... - he almost honestly admitted, having promised himself for a long time not to meet with a local necromancer. Voldemort's power made me seriously so afraid of him.

Judging by the memory of Regulus and the words of some eyewitnesses who saw the lord in action, he must be at least a full-fledged master of magic. Both in strength and skills... although, he never confirmed his mastery in magic anywhere, which still didn't change my opinion about his strength much. A force that I would not like to face yet, despite the already returned part of my former capabilities.

- Yeah… You went on a spree specifically. - Even somewhat impressed, whispered Crouch. - You should go to the hospital. Such binge drinking does not go unnoticed for health. - The guy immediately changed the subject, not wanting to remind me of my loss, which was the reason for my fictional binge. Although, I can't say that I haven't been abusing alcohol in recent months. I liked the local firewhisky, and most importantly – no harm to the aura, body or magical shells. Although, it is still not worth abusing it…

"Don't worry, I'll still have time to visit Mungo. You'd better tell me what you came to me with? - I swore to the guy, going to the essence of today's meeting ... involuntarily replying to myself that my voice was somewhat different from that of Regulus. Now, in communication with Barty, when the memories of Regulus are exploited by me one hundred percent, it is more than noticeable.

"The Lord was worried about your disappearance. - One of the wizards who came in the company of Barty spoke up. - So we came to check how you are here and why you don't get in touch. - In the same calm voice, a guy vaguely familiar to me added, in which a slight squeamishness in my attitude was clearly felt against the emotional background. Which, however, did not bother me in any way, I myself do not really relate to drunks, one of whom I am now playing.

"I see... is there a task for me?" - With the hope of the opposite, I asked, getting up… After all, up close, the necromancer will definitely notice that I don't have his mark on me, which means that it is very undesirable for me to meet with him. I'm just not sure that I can put this creature to rest, even with a fragment of his soul in my hands… And all because a small check showed that the lord had several such horcruxes… And I didn't understand at all if something like this was normal. In necromancy and soul magic, I did not understand the word at all. He only knew a couple of spells for the repose of the undead, but nothing more.

- Not yet, we were just assigned to check your condition… The lord has already begun to consider you dead, after not even being able to contact you through the tag. Crouch assured me, returning to the conversation again. "However, it wouldn't hurt for you to meet the Lord anyway. He's very unhappy about your disappearance, Regulus. The wizard warned me, looking at me with some concern. Apparently, he is really worried about a friend, well, or he plays a similar role very qualitatively.

Unlike his friends, I couldn't read Karuch's emotions. He was a very talented magician who was well versed in protecting his own mind. Because of that, without using any serious spells, I still could not sense his emotions or even more superficial thoughts. However, it was not required, mental magic is not necessary for normal communication with another magician.

- There may be some problems with this… I need to inform my relatives about my mother's death. And with the affairs of the genus, something needs to be solved. Apart from me, there are no other heirs left, which means that in any case I will have to take the lead in the family ... However, I will still need to meet with Sirius to clarify some details. - I quickly found a reason for refusal, noting to myself that I really am not going to refuse the riches of the Black family. Therefore, I will not even mind becoming the actual Lord Black, despite the fact that such a status may go sideways for me in some moments.

- Well, that's up to you. I will tell the Lord about your situation, I think he will not be very angry with you ... After all, the affairs of the family are not the kind of thing that can be left to chance. - Barty did not once again resent my decision, to some extent ending serious conversations… And no, I wasn't going to drive the magicians out of my own home. Instead, I made tea for everyone and the remnants of sweets that were still in the house, at the same time telling the magicians about the loss of their own brownie.

So, we talked decorously for a few more hours, exchanging some news… Although, in this case, it was the guys who enlightened me in the latest news of the magical world, well, I just kept them company, allowing me to fully assess my condition. It was, with my current appearance, it was easy to believe that all the past months I had been drinking hard... I looked too skinny and pale, as for a healthy person.

However, in reality, my appearance did not correspond much to reality. It was just that the wounded aura pulled on part of the bodily energy, which is why I simply could not gain any serious fat layer. Yes, and my physical training made itself felt, which is why I now really resembled some kind of vampire. Skinny, pale, but with clearly distinguishable muscle flagella all over his body.

And yes, the previously attractive face now looked quite repulsive. Sunken cheekbones, disheveled hair that had grown a lot over the past time and general pallor created a rather repulsive impression. Which in this case played into my hands, making it quite easy to convince Voldemort's messengers in their previous words.… In general, yes, it never came to a fight that day.

I had quite a peaceful conversation with a former friend of this carcass and the entire delegation of wizards in general. But to myself, this company has already been cursed by me three times, and I myself almost groaned because of the obligations that fell on me… I went, as they say, for groceries, bringing with me at the same time a whole bunch of headaches. So, now I had to contact my relatives, inform them about the death of Valburga, well, and start preparing for the entry into the rights of the head of the family.

Fortunately, the elder brother has long been burned out of the ancestral tapestry, so it seems that he has no rights to the title of lord… But he was connected to the source anyway. The father at the time did not allow Valburga to break Sirius's connection with the ancestral source. And it was because of this that I needed to meet the older brother of this carcass… After all, if he declares his desire to become the head of the family, I may have some problems. In this world, they are too used to making the eldest sons the heirs. Because of what Sirius, even in his current position, can count on something…