Regulus Black gifted an entire set of jewelry made from crimson rubies.
The set included three necklaces of varying levels of luxury, each with matching earrings, twelve brooches styled after the zodiac signs—one for each month—along with a ring, two belts, three bangles, and three bracelets. In total, there were thirty unique pieces, each with a distinctive design, suitable for mixing and matching or wearing on its own.
"This chest of jewelry is my gift to you. Be sure to wear at least one piece regularly."
Regulus Black opened the chest, revealing the dazzling collection inside. If there was anything women couldn't resist, it was jewelry and gemstones.
Even this seemingly mature, golden-eyed young girl couldn't help but be dazzled by the sight.
"These aren't just ordinary accessories. The entire chest and every piece within it has been enchanted. If lost, they can all be retrieved through magic—not a single piece will go missing. Other than me, only you can use them. Without both of our consent, you can't even give them away."
Regulus Black picked up the one and only ring and took Sarah Maidani's left hand, sliding it onto her ring finger. The originally large ring automatically adjusted to fit perfectly.
"The contract is sealed. From now on, you are mine."
Sarah Maidani looked at the ring on her left ring finger—the one reserved for marriage. And now, Regulus Black had placed a ring on it. The implication was clear. She had already mentally prepared herself to be his mistress, to be kept for a few years, but this... this meant she had truly been accepted into the Black family.
Yes! She had genuinely become part of the Black family. In the wizarding world, marriage contracts weren't like Muggle marriage certificates. These contracts held real magical binding power. Have you ever heard of a wizard getting divorced? It's either make it work for a lifetime or die trying. That's the norm.
Although Sarah Maidani was a half-blood Squib, she had still learned a lot about the wizarding world before she turned ten. Especially because one of her parents was a wizard with a family, and the other a single Muggle mother, her upbringing made her particularly sensitive to the nuances of wizarding marriages.
So, she understood what Regulus Black meant. Even if she couldn't officially marry into the Black family, Regulus would still treat her as a legitimate member, not just a temporary lover.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you… sob sob sob…"
As she repeated her thanks, Sarah Maidani threw herself into Regulus Black's arms, unable to hold back her tears. The girl who always acted strong and mature finally let go of her pretenses and, for once, behaved like a normal 13-year-old.
Regulus Black simply held the golden-eyed girl, gently stroking her wine-red hair, saying nothing as he patiently waited for her to calm down on her own.
"I'm sorry! I got your clothes all wet. Let me take them off and wash them for you!"
Sarah Maidani blushed as she spoke. Hmm! First, make an excuse to undress, then drink a little wine… that's how this works, right?
"No need. I still have things to do today. Besides, you're only 13—some things are a bit early for now. But two years from now, I won't hold back."
Regulus Black pinched Sarah Maidani's cheek gently and then sat down across from her.
"Well then! Let's talk about the connection between the ring and the brooches."
Regulus Black laid out the twelve brooches neatly on the table.
"You should be familiar with the twelve zodiac signs. Each of these brooches can be imbued with a spell, and the ring serves as the conduit to release them. So, which twelve spells would you like to have?"
Sarah Maidani's face practically lit up. Magic—real magic! For a half-blood Squib like her, this was something she had never even dared to imagine. If she could actually use magic, then which twelve spells should she choose?
"Regulus! I don't know which spells would suit me. If possible, could you choose them for me?"
After a moment's thought, Sarah wisely asked for his help. Rather than blindly picking on her own, it was better to let him decide. If they were out shopping like a regular couple, at least she'd have some sense of what to buy. But as a Squib trying to pick spells? Haha… what a lovely day today is.
"I could give you a spell catalog. It has all the names and effects listed…"
"No! I insist that you choose for me."
Regulus Black wasn't just being polite—he had genuinely wanted to see what kinds of spells the golden-eyed girl would pick. But Sarah Maidani, displaying both maturity and rationality, entrusted the decision entirely to him.
"Alright then! First are the three offensive spells: Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy, and Obliviate."
"Next! The three defensive spells: Protego Maxima, Expelliarmus, and Armour Shield."
"Finally! Choose six auxiliary spells: Episkey, Engorgio, Lumos, Reducio, Scourgify, and Accio."
As Regulus Black spoke, he used a crystal-like wand to tap each of the brooches on the table in turn.
Then, he took out two belts and cast the Undetectable Extension Charm on them.
"I've already applied the Undetectable Extension Charm to both of these belts. They can hold all twelve brooches. If you wear one of the brooches on your body, that particular spell will be prioritized for use. As for the specific effects of these spells, you can test them gradually. For now, just keep the ring and belt on at all times."
Regulus Black had thought everything through. The offensive spells were non-lethal, the defensive ones could protect and disarm, and even the auxiliary spells—such as Lumos and Accio—could be used to support attacks.
"In that case, I'll keep the three defensive brooches as my standard wear."
Sarah Maidani picked out three brooches—Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. One was a cute little crab, another a side profile of a lion's head, and the last an oval brooch featuring an angelic girl.
"You'll need to find chances to practice using these spells regularly. If you don't want to draw suspicion, Obliviate is essential."
Regulus Black selected a brooch with a mask that had a face half-smiling and half-crying.
"This Obliviate brooch will make those who offend you forget what happened afterward. Don't think that forgetting means they've escaped punishment. In fact, you can erase everything—from birth to the moment before forgetting—so use this spell with caution."
Regulus Black personally pinned the Gemini brooch onto Sarah Maidani's chest.
"Come! Use the spell on me. If I forget what happened today, I won't hold it against you."
Regulus Black directly asked the golden-eyed girl to attack him, showing not just his confidence in the magical item, but even more in his own strength—as if being hit by Obliviate wouldn't affect him at all.
Sarah Maidani hesitated for a moment, but at Regulus Black's urging, she raised her hand with the ring and cast the spell.
"Obliviate!"
A thin beam of magical energy shot toward Regulus Black, only to vanish without a trace as if absorbed by a void.
"These spells are mostly useless against real wizards, because their perception and control of magic far exceed what these enchanted items can offer. But I'm giving them to you because they'll work on Muggles—and since you're registered in the wizarding world as a Squib and not a full-fledged witch, there are no current Ministry regulations about you using enchanted items like these."
You see, as a thirteen-year-old girl living alone, Sarah Maidani had been working as a model to support herself. The Prophet's claim that she was a Squib supported by a powerful family was nothing but fabricated publicity.
And just like the world of entertainment and fashion, the modeling industry had both its glamorous stages and its dark, sordid underbelly.
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