Especially when a graceful figure lies on the bed, it's a moment that absolutely must not be disturbed.
Fortunately, Regulus Black's bed, though large, is surrounded by curtains, effectively shielding it from prying eyes.
"Who's there?"
Her body still tingling with a rosy afterglow, Daphne Greengrass felt as though she had just awakened from paradise.
Regulus Black approached the bed, untying his nightgown once more, letting the silk fabric slide off his body. His excitement returned as he climbed onto the bed, gently kneading the soft figure, arranging her in various intimate poses.
That night, the air was filled with melodious whispers and tender murmurs. To his surprise, Daphne's voice carried a captivating, songlike quality.
This inspired Regulus Black to explore further, coaxing her sweet, melodious tones into a rhythm that was both enchanting and delightful.
In the morning, Daphne awoke bathed in a radiant beam of light, emanating from a magical array on the ceiling. It served as an alarm clock, for the Room of Requirement had no windows.
"Is it morning already?"
Still a bit dazed, Daphne Greengrass sat up. The light invigorated her, sharpening her senses.
"I'm preparing morning tea. Since you're awake, let's freshen up together!"
Regulus Black was nearby, brewing a potion in a crucible. The faint aroma of the potion wafted through the room, its scent alone enough to lift one's spirits.
"I can't seem to find anywhere to wash up here."
Daphne Greengrass got out of bed and looked around. Aside from the central bed, the room was enclosed by octagonal walls. Unless there was a hidden washroom, there was no obvious place for it.
Regulus Black smiled lightly, walked over, and slipped an arm around her waist. With a wave of his hand, the bed rose, revealing the sound of trickling water—a pool lay beneath.
"Come on! Let's freshen up and head downstairs for breakfast."
Regulus Black scooped Daphne Greengrass into his arms and began playfully splashing in the pool. Though Daphne slipped through the water like a silver fish, Regulus Black was more like an octopus, his movements enveloping and relentless.
By the time they finished washing, Daphne Greengrass was once again lost in a daze.
After drying them both off, Regulus Black carried the girl to sit beside the brewing potion. Two cups of warm, invigorating tea were ready. Noticing her dazed state, Regulus took a sip from one cup, then gently fed it to her, passing the liquid mouth-to-mouth. Half a cup later, Daphne Greengrass finally stirred awake.
"I thought you'd have your eye on my sister," she said.
Wrapped in a nightgown and cradling her hot tea, Daphne Greengrass sipped slowly, shooting him a sidelong glance. She hadn't expected their first night to be so intense—how many times had it been? She'd lost count, even fainting a few times, yet it seemed to continue even then. His stamina was simply overwhelming.
"That's Draco's future partner. I have no reason to compete with him. Besides, the Malfoy family is important to me, and there's no need to ruin that relationship over something like this."
Regulus Black sipped his tea calmly.
"I need to make one thing clear: my actions are my own, driven by my own will. My family's expectations are separate. Don't confuse the two."
Daphne Greengrass set down her empty cup, her tone serious as she asserted her stance.
Seeing her earnest yet nervous expression, Regulus Black couldn't help but chuckle.
"Do you think I'm the type to shirk responsibility? I'm willing to take responsibility for every girl who loves me."
"A charming, roguish playboy," she retorted.
The thought of sharing this man with other women left Daphne Greengrass feeling a bit disgruntled.
"Trust me, aside from that, I'll be the best partner you could ask for."
Regulus Black gently took her hand, his gaze tender and sincere, slowly melting her discontent.
When they changed and headed downstairs, students from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were already emerging from the upper floors.
Daphne Greengrass descended the staircase confidently, making no effort to conceal her presence.
"Mr. Black! This is…"
Hermione happened to step out and spotted Daphne and Regulus leaving together.
"Hi! Hermione, right? I'm Daphne Greengrass. Let's get along well from now on."
Daphne Greengrass took Hermione's hand first, and the two descended the stairs like close sisters. Whatever they talked about on the way, by the time they reached the hall, they were practically inseparable.
"Daphne! Since when did you get so chummy with that Mudblood?"
Draco Malfoy was utterly shocked. Slytherin girls and Ravenclaw girls typically kept their distance—neither friendly nor hostile. Slytherins respected knowledge, and Ravenclaws valued noble lineage, but seeing them so close now, Draco felt he could skip breakfast and just feast on his astonishment.
"If you don't break that habit, someone's going to teach you how to respect women," Daphne Greengrass said sharply.
"Who cares?" Draco Malfoy shrugged, acting utterly indifferent.
Just then, Regulus Black passed by, his icy gaze sweeping over Draco. In an instant, the platinum-haired boy, so used to his arrogance, was reduced to nothing. Regulus Black's coldness was unlike Professor Snape's. If Snape's stare treated people like garbage, Regulus's made them feel like corpses.
"He cares," Daphne Greengrass said, her voice tinged with infatuation. "He cares about every woman who loves him and chooses to be with him. His harem alone could crush any enemy."
She continued, "And he's an emperor capable of protecting his entire harem. You don't stand a chance of winning. In fact, you should be careful your own lover doesn't fall for him. I don't want to compete with my sister, so, Draco, protect Astoria and don't provoke Regulus."
"Fine, fine! I won't mess with him. Congratulations on joining the harem legion," Draco conceded. He had no desire to lose Astoria, who was, for now, the girl most suited for him and one of the few uninterested in Regulus Black.
When it came to greetings, Regulus Black never spared a smile for girls, but boys were lucky to get a mere nod of acknowledgment.
"It seems your love potion is remarkably effective," Snape remarked dryly to the assistant professor sitting beside him. This was a school, not some professor's personal harem, yet Regulus Black seemed intent on turning it into one.
What about their studies? What about their futures and their own marriages?
"In fact, there's no love potion in the Valentine's Day chocolates. If you've ever received one, you'd know I'm innocent," Regulus Black replied, sitting down and firmly denying the accusation. And perhaps he was telling the truth.
"Then how do you explain what's happening with the boys?" Snape pressed. After all, there had been numerous cases of boys falling for other boys lately. In recent weeks, most of those petrified and sent to the hospital wing were boys, with hardly any girls.
"The truth is, that's the normal outcome. There's no love potion in the chocolates—just a temporary love contract, and it only affects boys. Of course, whether the sender is male or female is irrelevant," Regulus Black explained, calmly slicing his lamb chop and sprinkling it with cumin, an Eastern spice he'd acquired through Muggle channels and introduced to Hogwarts' kitchens.
"In other words, the girls who eat the chocolates do so willingly, loving Regulus Black with or without a potion. But when the chocolates are passed on, if a girl gives them, she earns a boy's affection. If a boy gives them, he earns another boy's affection," Professor Flitwick, who had been eavesdropping, pieced it together. The girls' love for Regulus was voluntary, whether they ate the chocolates or not. The chocolates' effects only triggered when passed on, creating the bizarre behaviors.
The truth of it all was utterly exasperating.
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