"Yu, you too—you're far too thin, eat more! Thank goodness you look after Fred and George so well at work, keeping them from living on the streets, and you take such good care of Ron and Ginny at school... If only you could push them to hurry up and find someone suitable at school, that would be even better!"
Mrs. Weasley completely ignored the protests from the three empty-plated Weasleys in front of her, and casually swept away their remaining green broccoli as well.
"Dinner? What dinner? Unmarried Weasleys don't get to eat! None of you are allowed at the table!"
Jane realized that a food chain had formed in this house: married people > dating people/minors > single adults.
Having forcibly suppressed her sons, Mrs. Weasley turned back to Bill and Fleur, chattering away:
"I do hope you can marry soon—Christmas would be perfect, the holidays would let guests attend the ceremony. If there weren't so much to prepare, getting engaged this summer and marrying right away would be ideal."
She loudly praised the couple, determined that everyone in the house should hear clearly:
"You two are such a perfect match—one steady and generous, the other lively and playful, just like your father and me. You're absolutely made for each other, handsome and beautiful, with common interests..."
All the Weasleys and non-Weasleys present looked at Mrs. Weasley with incredulous expressions.
"Mum's acting like she's been possessed by Death Eaters," Ginny commented sharply.
"Bill, why haven't you learned to cook yet?" Mrs. Weasley complained. "How are you going to capture her heart? Do you want to starve you both to death?"
"This is too much..." Ron muttered. "She never used to say things like this..."
Mrs. Weasley continued holding Fleur's hand, building new-era mother-in-law relations:
"Your willingness to marry Bill is truly his good fortune. Look at my other three disappointing sons—they can't even find girlfriends at school, and after graduation they're still acting like layabouts..."
Charlie, receiving Jane's sympathetic gaze, smiled bitterly and grinned at her, showing his white teeth:
"Sacrifice one for the happiness of thousands."
"Just let Mum keep scolding," Fred and George once again showed their carefree, grinning expressions. "At least with the comparison, she'll bless Bill's wedding this quickly. Otherwise they'd still be dragging it out!"
So, after stepping on three to praise one, the house once again returned to a harmonious and warm atmosphere.
Only the persistent Sirius, attempting for the Nth time to glue the curtains, and Mrs. Black, stubbornly preventing the curtains from being glued, continued their shouting match from downstairs into Jane's ears:
"At your age—how many others aren't married yet? Unfilial son! Scum!"
"You have the nerve to glue my curtains but no ability to win a girl's heart! Useless good-for-nothing!"
After a very loud sound of curtains being yanked shut, Sirius returned to the living room, panting with anger and complaining:
"Is this really worth making such a fuss about? At my age... there are plenty who aren't married or dating! Moony's the same, isn't he?"
The innocent Lupin, caught in friendly fire, froze with his knife and fork, falling into an eerie silence.
"Right, Moony?" Sirius swaggered over and slung an arm around his friend's shoulder. "We two can be called brothers in hardship, comrades in misfortune."
But Lupin remained silent, not lifting his head. From Jane's angle, she could see embarrassment written all over his face.
"Not being married is no big deal," Sirius said, thinking he'd touched his friend's sore spot and hurrying to explain. "Go wherever you want, do whatever you please—isn't that great?"
This time Lupin finally reacted, making a small sound full of hesitation:
"Uh—well—"
At the same time, a shy blush spread across his face, gradually extending to his neck.
Sirius's expression froze, becoming one of disbelief that made his mouth fall open.
"You—you—" his words became jumbled, "you—you—?"
The red on Lupin's face spread even wider, gradually turning him into the color of a perfectly cooked shrimp.
"You—is it true, Moony? Remus? No way—?" Sirius stood frozen in place.
Watching this blushing expression, Jane gradually guessed:
Her excellent employee had probably gotten himself a girlfriend!
Love messenger and marriage propaganda ambassador Molly Weasley immediately confirmed this:
"Wonderful, Remus!" She clapped vigorously. "When you were all here before, I could see something between you and Tonks! She's such an outstanding Auror—congratulations!"
Her arms and hands moved in a blur—her left hand quickly removed Sirius's meal and placed it in front of Lupin, while her right hand moved the large cake from the center of the table over, then both hands danced together, cutting cake and pouring tea, making Lupin's meal treatment momentarily surpass even Jane's and Fleur's.
"You young people should be like Remus—once you have a chance, don't drag it out, hurry up and start a family!" she proclaimed loudly.
Jane knew Tonks—she was both a Ministry of Magic Auror and an Order of the Phoenix member, a Metamorphmagus, and a very enthusiastic, lively person.
She happily stood up to congratulate her excellent employee, giving him a relationship red envelope while announcing on the spot that when he married he could receive company wedding gifts and an extended honeymoon, with full employee benefits.
But Lupin, blushing with embarrassment, repeatedly declined:
"No, no, I don't need these things, Yu, you've already given me enough... I can't accept more."
He suddenly bowed to Jane, the red on his face becoming even more obvious:
"After leaving Hogwarts, I could only wander... but now I have stable work, such high wages, and everyone in the company respects me greatly. Even when I go outside, even though I'm a werewolf, people are envious when they hear I work under you..."
Even though he still often heard those words that disparaged his werewolf identity when he went out...
But now he could tell that those sour words were more jealousy that he, as a werewolf, had obtained such good work.
In the company, humans, werewolves, and elves of different races coexisted as equals; in the Order of the Phoenix, he and his friends trusted each other...
Over the years, he felt his life had never been so good, never received so much respect—
This had slowly brought out his Gryffindor-style courage and confidence.
"If I were like before, I wouldn't dare communicate with Tonks at all—I'd definitely avoid her... I might even avoid Order of the Phoenix missions..."
"But now, I think I should face my feelings directly. If I keep dragging it out, it's not good for either of us... and it makes me look irresponsible..."
He smiled shyly, as if returning to the appearance of a young schoolboy, his eyes holding a careful and eager anticipation about love, his body trembling slightly with nervousness:
"We went for a drink together—maybe the alcohol went to my head... I confessed to her that I'm a werewolf, and so old, and though I have a little money now, werewolves aren't suitable for having children... this would affect her..."
"It was like going to the guillotine, but she said she didn't care at all... She said wizards have long lifespans and can wait for some potion to be invented..."
"So we decided to try... Merlin, this is the craziest, boldest decision we've made in our lives..."
Everyone applauded, Mrs. Weasley's eyes filled with tears as she kept exclaiming things like "such a kind Yu," "bless you both," "what beautiful love."
Amid the congratulations, only Sirius stood there dumbfounded, tongue-tied:
"Merlin—congratulations, Moony, good brother, that's bloody brilliant—so now I'm the only one left as a single dog—?"
Though he was indeed happy that his good brother had finally found happiness—
But looking at the empty tablecloth and bare plates in front of him, then at Remus Lupin surrounded by crowds with both love and career success... and thinking of James Potter who died early but whose child was nearly grown...
He inexplicably felt sorrow rising from within, and with a "whoosh" transformed into a large dog and bounded upstairs.
Jane could only hear a very long "awoo" howling sound from upstairs.
That howl was full of loneliness and melancholy.
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