The entire Crimson Manor was eerily quiet. The wind howled outside the mountain, while the interior temperature had long been stabilized by a warmth-preserving spell.
Aside from Regulus Black and Robert Downey Jr. sharing one room, Jennifer Connelly and Charlize Theron shared another. Even director Guillermo del Toro had to room with Connelly and White—not because he had any gay tendencies, but simply because Connelly and White were slimmer, while David Robinson was too large-built to share a room comfortably.
The rest of the crew mostly stayed two to a room as well. Any excess members had no choice but to stay in the nearby town.
"There are twelve rooms in the manor, so there should be twenty-four people, unless someone is staying in another part of the building."
Regulus Black stood in the corridor, silently sensing the activity within each room.
Necromancer Curse Skills: "Fearful Illusions" and "Whispering Confusion" were activated.
A faint green mist tinged with strands of silver emerged from Regulus Black's wand, "Liquor Spring Ice-Skin."
"Liquor Spring Ice-Skin" was 13 inches long, made from Dionysian vine wood, and had a wand core crafted from the heart tendon of a single unicorn. It was especially suited for curse work.
Though it fell just short of the "Blazing Blood Crystal" wand, it was considered a specialized tool for curses.
He hadn't activated the two skills to scare the crew away. The fear effect of Fearful Illusions was minimized, and the confusion effect of Whispering Confusion was also dialed down. What remained were only the illusions and whispers, with just a faint trace of fear and confusion. In this way, the effect might even be more effective.
Regulus Black had imprinted the complete memory of the original version of Crimson Manor into the minds of the production crew. Special attention was given to director Guillermo del Toro and the lead actors—Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Connelly, and Charlize Theron. Following them were the special effects team's Connelly and White, as well as props handler David Robinson.
1992 was far from the original film's 2015 release. The 23-year gap in film technology made a huge difference. Regulus Black had considered this long before filming began. Back in that era, Hollywood productions often had plot holes that future audiences would find glaring. Moreover, the equipment used during filming greatly influenced a movie's overall tone. The higher the resolution, the more refined the film would feel. Older gear, on the other hand, gave off the vibe of a third-rate production.
Perhaps Regulus Black's thinking was ahead of its time, but he didn't directly impose his thoughts on them. He simply implanted the movie scenes into their minds and let them interpret everything on their own, which actually felt more natural.
The green mist laced with silver threads drifted into the rooms of the selected individuals. They definitely wouldn't be sleeping well tonight—most likely plagued by nightmares until morning.
There were still some missing hardware facilities within the crew. For example, restrooms. Originally, each floor of the manor had a shared bathroom, and the first floor even had a bathing area. But these were designed for a single household, clearly insufficient for the entire film crew.
Mobile trailer toilets had already been rented—courtesy of a British rental company recommended by Guillermo del Toro.
That left only the issue of meals. Regulus Black had already ordered a food truck with its own cold storage unit and brought in enough beef and beef products from his dairy farm.
Tonight, that food truck had to be brought in.
"Time to head to the graveyard."
Regulus Black teleported directly from Crimson Manor to his dairy farm in the Outer Hebrides. The food truck had been delivered directly to the farm.
The workers had already filled the cold storage compartment, including not only beef but also various locally grown vegetables.
As for the chef, Regulus Black had already made up his mind. After using a "Shrink Fast!" spell on the food truck, he brought it to Beheading Valley.
"Mrs. Cook! I need your help."
The moment Regulus Black arrived, Mrs. Cook understood what was going on. As the steward of Beheading Valley Manor, she could teleport freely within the estate—a power Regulus Black had specially designed for her. It was similar to how ghosts could move about Hogwarts at will, though hers was limited to the bounds of the manor.
"Master! It's so late—what brings you here?"
Mrs. Cook should have already been in bed by now. She was wearing the sheer silk nightgown that Regulus Black had prepared for her—leaving little to the imagination. Her mature 27-year-old figure radiated an alluring charm.
"There's no rush. I haven't seen you in a month, have I?"
As Regulus Black spoke, he took Mrs. Cook's hand and gently led her back to her room.
"Aren't you afraid there might be another man in my room?"
Mrs. Cook teased Regulus Black provocatively. He had once called her a woman who was too pragmatic—someone who would keep different men around her just to gain more.
Of course, that would only happen in a world where Regulus Black didn't exist.
Still, Mrs. Cook had held a grudge over that conversation ever since. Every time they were about to get intimate, she would bring it up again.
"Though I do enjoy this kind of feeling," Regulus said, "why do you always have to clean up like this afterward? I told you—it's much easier with a spell."
"I just want to keep every part of you," she replied. "You may not notice it yourself, but I've started aging. I'll be turning 30 soon. But look at you—you still look like you're in your twenties. The gap between us is only going to grow. I don't know how to hold on to someone like you. All year long, I've been hoping to have your child, but..."
So that's what it was—concerns over youth and the hope for offspring.
"None of what you're worried about is a real problem. You must understand—wizards can do many things. What others call miracles are simply normal to us."
"Now sleep. I'll stay with you tonight."
Regulus Black spoke softly, then held Mrs. Cook in his arms.
Given Regulus Black's skill with potions, creating one to preserve one's appearance posed no difficulty. The issue was with the side effects and limitations. For example, even if the potion worked perfectly, any injuries, illnesses, or disabilities present at the time of consumption would not be cured. On the contrary, the potion would preserve those ailments indefinitely, and might even render future healing potions ineffective.
To create a potion that could both maintain appearance and allow for the continued use of other potions, a completely new formula would need to be designed.
Some might ask: Doesn't the magical world of Harry Potter already have Aging and De-aging Potions? Why bother creating a new one?
Regulus Black had long since tested those potions. They were primarily used in conjunction with Time-Turners, specifically designed to counteract the effects of time travel.
Because of their unique properties, they had to be taken regularly—at least once a year—or else the suppressed effects of the Time-Turner would erupt all at once.
Naturally, Regulus Black didn't want his woman to suffer from such complications. Developing a powerful, side-effect-free potion was the best solution.
Let's call this potion "Centennial."
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