Hogwarts: Legacy of the Necromancer

"Apologies, ladies! The new company just bought this building to use as office space, and we haven't had the chance to fully renovate it yet. However, the audition area has already been cleared. Your lounge is this way, and the restroom is over there. Please wait a moment, and the audition will begin shortly."

If it weren't for the company's sign hanging outside the building, the beautiful woman waiting at the door, and the oddly shaped vehicle parked nearby, the three women would never have guessed this was a film company. Who would have thought there'd be such a hidden corner in Hollywood?

As Lucy Piddle had mentioned, the previous company had moved out. All the former décor had been removed, and for several years, no one had leased the space. The landlord, bankrupted by property taxes, had no intention of maintaining it.

Regulus Black acted quickly and bought the three-story building at the price of the landlord's owed taxes.

It must be said, the price was around 40% lower than the market value—almost a bargain at half-price.

Although it was only three stories tall, the building had been converted from a factory, so the footprint was quite large.

If Regulus Black had wanted to renovate it, he could have handled everything himself with just a wave of his wand.

But he didn't. He only cleared out a section near the front entrance. After all, everything needs to go through a process, doesn't it?

The lounge was furnished with comfortable sofas, complete with fruit and drinks. The restroom featured brand-new facilities with a bright and clean color scheme that gave off a pleasant and relaxed vibe.

It was clearly a newly established company. Compared to the unfinished parts of the building, this area already looked quite luxurious.

Director Guillermo del Toro walked in. As aspiring actresses, they had done their homework on the directors and producers. They didn't want to miss an opportunity just because they failed to recognize someone—it would be a regret they couldn't afford.

So, the moment the portly director entered, the three actresses and their agents stepped forward to greet him.

"Hello! It's great to meet you. However, I'm not today's casting director, though I believe he's already arrived."

The chubby director smiled and graciously acknowledged their enthusiasm. After all, these three were the ones Regulus Black had his eye on.

"Naomi, you need to be more confident. Sure, they're just as good as you and younger too, but you must believe you're the one truly right for this role."

Naomi Watts kept encouraging herself. Her agent was shared between multiple clients—that's what it meant to be a bottom-tier actress.

She had come alone today. Having just arrived in Hollywood, she first settled her accommodation. For months, she hadn't had any acting opportunities. She auditioned for every project she could, but without connections or credentials, she was going nowhere fast.

It's not that opportunities didn't exist, but every time she saw those lecherous stares, she felt deeply uncomfortable. If that was the way to earn a chance, she'd rather wait. What she never expected was that this "wait" would last nine years.

Looking to her side, the other two actresses were quietly chatting with their agents. When they noticed her gaze, they turned and smiled at her. After all, they were newcomers too. Even though they had some on-set experience—and Milla Jovovich had even been nominated for the Young Artist Award—they still weren't big stars. Any small-time director or producer could give them a hard time.

So when they saw Naomi Watts arrive alone, they didn't see her as beneath them.

All three women here today had likely been carefully selected. Even Naomi Watts, a bottom-tier actress without an agent by her side, was called in because the director thought she might be right for the role. If she were cast and exploded in popularity, jumping straight into the B-list wasn't out of the question.

So responding to her was a kind of communication—perhaps they might even become friends in the future.

"Do you have a boyfriend? I assume you're not married, right? Then no children either?"

Regulus Black, acting as the casting director, opened with the classic "single status" triple-check. But it was all part of the casting process.

All three gave decent performances. Naomi Watts stood out the most. The other two, due to their age, couldn't convincingly portray the emotions of a mother with a 13-year-old daughter. Although Naomi wasn't married or a mother either, her age allowed her to better embody the essence of a maternal character.

"There's no need for you to wait to hear back. Based on today's audition, Naomi Watts gave the best performance. So congratulations, Naomi."

Regulus Black turned out to be not only the assistant director but also in charge of casting—and he was the male lead as well. None of the three actresses had expected this. What surprised them even more was that after the auditions, he kept all of them and immediately announced the results.

This guy really doesn't play by the rules!

"Miss Kate Beckinsale, Miss Milla Jovovich, your performances were excellent. I see great potential in both of you. I'll have other projects in the future that will need your talents—don't turn me down when the time comes."

Regulus Black wasn't speaking idly. In this world, at this particular time, Resident Evil and Underworld didn't exist yet. That, in itself, was great news. Regulus Black was already recalling every detail of those two works, determined to write them down as soon as possible.

At the same time, he instructed Lucy Piddell to acquire the rights to many fantasy novels.

Future titles like Black Friday Files and Black Planet would focus heavily on fantasy themes.

This was purely a matter of Regulus Black's personal taste.

Of course, superhero films were still part of the plan. Things were already moving forward with DC, while Marvel remained stuck in the hands of that old man.

With casting complete, filming could begin. Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro was an old pro—preparations were being carried out in an orderly fashion. The cinematographers and VFX teams were the same crew from before. Having worked together previously, it was easy for them to fall back into sync.

If necessary, Regulus Black could simply put in more effort—wave his wand and imprint the entire plot directly into the minds of the director, cinematographers, and effects artists. As for Naomi Watts, it was best to guide her personally.

"Naomi, did you just come to the U.S. this year?"

Regulus Black invited Naomi Watts to dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Though it wasn't exactly authentic Chinese cuisine anymore, the dishes were still quite good.

"Yes. I've been looking for opportunities ever since I arrived. There are many things I'm unwilling to accept, so chances have been few and far between."

Naomi Watts still felt a bit uneasy about this date-like meeting. If the male lead or casting director had invited her before the audition, she would have turned and walked away. But now that she was officially part of the production and had just signed the contract today, she told herself this was just a work dinner.

"Tell me about your life. Haven't met the right guy since coming to America?"

Regulus Black's old-fashioned tone made it sound as though he were her father.

"No, I haven't had time to even think about things like that. It's hard enough just to survive, let alone chase dreams. Still, no matter how tough it gets, I have to keep going—for both."

Naomi Watts didn't know why Regulus Black was asking such personal questions, but there was nothing worth hiding. Anyone with a bit of curiosity could easily find out. After all, she was still living in a cheap rented apartment.

"The mother in the script is the same way. After her husband dies, she raises her daughter alone. The daughter becomes inexplicably sensitive and fearful, and even the psychiatrist is at a loss. Every morning, the mother wakes up in tears, handling all the household chores while making sure her child gets to school. Meanwhile, she has to fend off advances from nosy, pestering neighbors. Life keeps piling on, and all her hope rests on her child. But the daughter's mental condition puts even that fragile dream on the verge of collapse."

Regulus Black's words drew Naomi Watts into the role, just as he had drawn the entire crew into the story.

"So the mother breaks down and confides in her tenant, and the tenant helps her."

Naomi Watts wore a sorrowful expression—she was already beginning to understand the character's inner world.

"There is no tenant, Naomi. There never was."

Regulus Black gave a mysterious smile, and his reply left Naomi Watts completely stunned.

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