Watching Lucius scold his house-elf like that, Regulus Black began to form some new ideas.
Why is this particular house-elf so different? Never mind that Aunt Rowling had it destined by fate—in reality, there should be a logical explanation. House-elves have deeply ingrained servility, and it's practically impossible for one to betray its master. So no matter how Dobby tries to justify getting Harry Potter to leave Hogwarts, his actions fundamentally constitute a betrayal.
And that's what's strange about the whole situation—Aunt Rowling broke her own rules for the sake of the protagonist.
"Lucius! Is this your only house-elf?"
Regulus Black's seemingly casual question immediately stunned the Malfoy couple and Dobby.
"You mean Dobby? The Malfoy family has house-elves working in other estates too, but here at Malfoy Manor, he's the only one. Why? Is something wrong?"
Lucius now understood that Regulus Black wouldn't bring something up without reason—his house-elf must have done something outside the manor.
"Maybe you should add another command for him. I think I saw him elsewhere."
Regulus Black didn't say exactly where he had spotted Dobby. Lucius would be able to ask that himself later.
"Is that so? Dobby, from today on, you are not to leave Malfoy Manor without my express permission, unless I take you out myself."
Lucius knew it wasn't the right time to interrogate Dobby with guests present, but adding a new command was easy enough. No going out without permission—unless taken by the master—that would suffice.
No matter how disobedient a house-elf may seem, the contract ingrained in their very being would compel them to obey their master's orders.
This would eliminate a potential ally for Harry Potter. Regulus Black wanted to see just how much he could change fate—Dobby wasn't the first house-elf whose fate had been altered, and he certainly wouldn't be the last.
"Regulus! May I ask why you're so determined to take that dock?"
Lucius raised his glass in invitation, and Regulus Black, being polite, took a small sip.
"Because it belongs to the Black family. If I don't reclaim all our family properties, how can I talk about reviving the family?"
He cut into his lamb chop with a knife and fork, a bowl of creamy cod soup placed beside him—both dishes tasted excellent. Clearly, Lucius had put effort into the meal, something that could be gleaned from Draco's letters.
But Regulus Black's answer clearly wasn't what Lucius was hoping for—it was a bit perfunctory.
"Let me put it this way. I've examined that dock thoroughly and found no trace of magic. I don't believe you're reclaiming it just for the sake of recovering family property. As far as I know, the Black family also owns a church, which you've filed for arbitration over—but haven't shown much interest in."
Lucius didn't want to play guessing games. After all, their future dealings would be deeper, and it would be better for both sides to be candid.
After finishing the last piece of lamb, Regulus Black took another sip of the soup and wiped his mouth with a napkin in satisfaction.
"Actually, the most valuable part of that dock isn't the dock itself. Beneath the waters of that deep-sea dock lies a treasure from the end of the last century—Captain Nemo's submarine. A technological artifact with no magical power whatsoever. It might be just a pile of wreckage now."
Regulus spread his hands to show that, even if there was treasure to be found, it could well turn out to be worthless—a heap of scrap metal.
Though Lucius didn't fully understand why Regulus would be so interested in a dock if all that remained was junk, the explanation was enough to satisfy his curiosity for now.
Dobby came to clear the plates, and the three wizards moved to the study.
"This is the official document confirmed by the Ministry of Magic. All you need to do is sign it and register it with the Ministry."
Lucius pulled out the prepared transfer documents from the desk drawer.
"Then I'll be on my way. Narcissa, the family dinner was excellent."
After reviewing the documents, Regulus Black stood up, preparing to leave. He still needed to go and check on the dock.
"You're welcome anytime. Oh! And let's open the floo connections between Malfoy Manor and the old house at Morris Square. I've already submitted the request to the Ministry."
Narcissa Malfoy said warmly. Though this transfer of assets had cost the Malfoy family a bit, it also reestablished ties with the Black family—something far more significant than mere profit.
By the time the family meal at Malfoy Manor had concluded, it was already afternoon. With nothing else planned for the day, Regulus Black could head straight to the dock.
Although he had been applying for ownership of this property for some time, Regulus Black didn't actually know its precise location. Thanks to magic, many secrecy measures were possible. While workers came and went each day, loading and unloading cargo at the dock, to wizards, the place might have been kept hidden.
Now, however, the correct address was clearly stated on the document, along with the relevant magical runes.
Regulus Black glanced at it. The location wasn't far from London, though it was a rather remote port town.
"Apparate!"
Regulus Black instantly appeared just outside the dock. The morning fish market had already ended, and the workers were cleaning up. The ground, soaked with water, gave off a chill.
Stepping through puddles and shards of ice, Regulus Black found the man in charge here—Mark.
Mark was an elderly professional manager. Though he had been hired by wizards to oversee the dock, he had no real understanding of the difference between wizards and Muggles. As a diligent employee, he answered only to his employer.
So when Regulus handed him the ownership documents, Mark quickly accepted the reality of a change in management.
After taking Regulus on a tour of the site, the dock supervisor finally helped him gain a basic understanding of the area.
Through magical probing, Regulus confirmed that there was indeed a ship beneath the harbor. The Black family's records had not been wrong. But because the harbor was narrow and the water beneath it deep, no one had ever discovered the sunken vessel.
At 4 p.m., the workers clocked out as usual, and even Mark departed after a brief farewell.
Regulus Black remained alone, the sound of boat engines in the distance gradually fading.
"Well then, first things first—Muggle-Repelling Charm!"
He swapped out his wand for the best one among his four-piece set: Blazing Blood Crystal. As he raised it high, strands of red light spread out like drops of oil in water, encasing the entire dock in a spherical barrier.
Now no Muggles would come near. Anyone—whether intentionally or accidentally—who approached would be diverted for one reason or another. Much like a hopeless romantic chasing after a goddess: ever longing, never reaching.
"Reparo Maxima!"
A powerful spell surged into the water, striking the bottom of the harbor. A cluster of metal components buried in the silt resonated under the influence of the magic.
"The hull is mostly intact, though there are quite a few breaches."
Sensing his magic flowing beneath the water, Regulus Black sketched a mental 3D blueprint of the vessel.
The Nautilus had a distinctive design, shaped like a giant cleaver. Its main hull was white, adorned with 19th-century carvings, and the interior was equally ornate. In 1899, this ship had been legendary—extremely fast, with a reinforced hull and formidable firepower.
It even came with a car that, for its time, was exceptionally modern.
Though devoid of magical power, both the Nautilus and the matching car were products of alchemy.
Despite having been submerged for nearly a century, the vessel still retained glimpses of its former glory now that it had resurfaced.
The repaired Nautilus rose automatically to the surface, perfectly filling the length of the dock.
"So much work to do on repairs…"
Regulus Black raised his hand and stored the entire Nautilus into his system space.
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