"Milla Jovovich is coming over tonight. We need to prepare a little more for dinner."
Regulus Black's hands, which were tucked inside Naomi's apron, moved rhythmically as he massaged her. He spoke as if it were just a casual visit from a friend and his wife should make a bit more food. Ever since the two had made their relationship official not long ago, they had quickly fallen into the routine of an old married couple.
Naomi Watts turned her head, and Regulus immediately kissed her. The angle was awkward—Naomi wasn't particularly flexible, so turning fully was difficult, and even if she could, she wouldn't be able to hold the position for long.
Regulus continued kissing her neck and earlobe, causing Naomi to bite her lip involuntarily.
"Let's go to the bedroom first for a big meal!" Naomi asked in a dazed, flustered voice.
"The big meal can wait. Let's have a little snack here in the kitchen first," Regulus said, making a decisive and playful suggestion that Naomi naturally couldn't refuse.
"You've worked hard, Naomi. Milla might become a part of the Black family in the future. I hope you two can get along well."
Regulus said this to the already dazed Naomi. This method of appeasing her was clearly meant to quell any jealousy that might arise.
The deeper the love, the deeper the hate—that saying isn't a joke. Not even a love potion can completely suppress it.
"I understand! Don't worry, darling, I won't poison the dinner."
Naomi, slightly recovered, replied, "I'll go wash up and start on dinner. In the meantime, you're not allowed in the kitchen."
She swayed her hips as she walked toward the bathroom. She knew exactly how weak her resistance to Regulus was. Even if he were just standing nearby watching her work, she'd probably get flustered and excited. During filming, if it weren't for Regulus constantly guiding her into character, the whole shoot would've fallen apart long ago.
Regulus Black, well aware of this himself, chuckled and left the kitchen.
Although it was currently summer break, communication with the wizarding world's students hadn't stopped. However, Regulus never spoke to them about his life in the Muggle world. The two worlds were fundamentally different—like comparing Africa to Europe.
Still, through letters sent by Lucy Pidell, Regulus had learned quite a bit.
Ron Weasley had once again swept through every chess club in Britain. All the western chess champions had fallen to him. Ron's manager, the impeccably mustached Quent, was working hard to keep Ron from engaging in anything that might tarnish his reputation. When a young man becomes famous, he inevitably attracts all kinds of flies, looking for cracks they can exploit.
Ron had somehow attracted the company of drug dealers and people offering female companionship. If Molly Weasley ever found out, not only would Ron be in serious trouble, but Regulus Black would be implicated too—after all, he was the one who brought Ron into the chess world.
Because of this, Regulus had sent Ron a Howler, sternly warning him to stay far away from drugs, gambling, and prostitution.
Though Quent had been making money for Ron through betting, all of it had been approved by Regulus and counted as legitimate earnings. Ron was simply earning money with his own chess skills—why shouldn't he be allowed to keep it?
Ron had once shouted exactly that at Regulus, right at the Weasley family's dinner table.
After all, Ron had become the wealthiest member of the entire Weasley family, and he was proud of it. But Regulus refused to hand over the money to him.
"First of all, more than half of the prize money you've won came from my investment. Second, you wrecked your dad's car in your second year. That car is still running loose in the Forbidden Forest, and you need to take responsibility for that."
Regulus Black, acting almost like an accountant, calculated the expenses for Ron in front of the entire Weasley family.
Compensation for the damage to the Whomping Willow and the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, buying Mr. Weasley a new car and modifying it into another flying car—after deducting all these expenses, the money Ron Weasley had won from the chess match only allowed him to live comfortably. His mother, Mrs. Molly Weasley, agreed to give Ron his allowance in installments rather than all at once, unless he graduated from Hogwarts.
However, it was said that much of Ron's allowance was borrowed by his twin brothers to fund their product development.
The Weasley twins still had a long way to go to fulfill their promise of 100 new products. Regulus Black had already taken them to see the shop on Diagon Alley, so it wasn't surprising that they had turned to their younger brother for a loan.
As for Hermione and several other girls, Regulus Black had been in correspondence with them—discussing schoolwork or sharing interesting stories. He even organized a group greeting for two girls who had birthdays during the holidays and took time out to attend one of the birthday parties himself, much to the girls' delight.
Harry Potter was doing quite well. Since he had to spend time with his relatives—his Aunt Petunia's family—for at least one month every year, he only needed to spend half of his holiday with the Dursleys. The rest of the time, he could hang out with his godfather, Sirius Black.
Of course, Sirius would never leave Harry alone with his uncle's family without checking in.
According to a report Regulus Black received from Judy Fawkes, Sirius showed up at the Dursleys' every day like clockwork—brazenly freeloading meals as a way of getting back at the Dursleys for the way they had treated Harry in the past.
This caused the Dursleys considerable grief. Sirius was like a ravenous celestial dog, devouring everything in sight. He ate three meals a day at the Dursleys' house, and his appetite surpassed that of the three Dursleys combined.
Yet he never seemed to gain weight. If he had, Regulus would have had no qualms about mocking him upon his return.
"At least he knows to take potions for digestion. Barely redeemable,"was Regulus Black's comment after reading the report.
Judy Fawkes had been one of the first women to follow him, and she held a key position in the Auror Department. She often helped with various matters, so Regulus made sure to treat her well.
With the Quidditch World Cup approaching, Regulus sent her a letter along with a ticket to the event. Although she could've bought one herself—or her family might have—Regulus's ticket was a gesture of goodwill.
Sure enough, she accepted the ticket. But in her reply, Judy said that as an Auror, she would be on duty at the event, so she'd be able to watch the match anyway. She decided to pass the ticket on to a newly joined female Auror—who, as it turned out, was a relative of Regulus Black.
Judy Fawkes's letter reminded Regulus of someone who had been overlooked: the future wife of Professor Lupin the werewolf, Andromeda Black, who had married out of the Black family and changed her surname. Her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks, was a Metamorphmagus and an Auror.
When Harry Potter started his first year at Hogwarts, it was the same year Nymphadora was graduating from her seventh. At that time, Regulus Black had just become a teaching assistant and hadn't yet begun charming the girls at Hogwarts.
Nymphadora Tonks, born in 1973, graduated from Hufflepuff and, by blood, was Regulus Black's niece.
"This is troublesome! Judy, didn't you know the ticket held my affection?"
Now, Regulus Black had no idea how to face his cousin.
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