Love Was No Excuse

At noon, the sun was shining brightly, and the wedding preparations were complete.

The white gauze curtains in the courtyard swayed gently in the breeze, and the flowers tied to the stone wall shone brightly in the sunlight.

A few Muggle were making final adjustments, arranging the chairs more neatly and moving the bouquets around.

Regulus stood under an olive tree not far away and cast a Confundus Charm on himself.

The effect was simple: apart from Andromeda and Ted, no one paid any attention to him.

They will see someone standing here, but they won't remember his face, won't be curious about who he is, and certainly won't think there's anything noteworthy about his presence here.

He took two more steps, and his wizard robes flowed like water, darkening in color and changing in style, finally settling into a well-tailored dark gray suit.

Twelve-year-old Regulus was already half a head taller than his peers. Long-term Magic Power training had made his figure upright and graceful. Wearing a suit, he accentuated the clean and distinct lines of his shoulders and back.

A white shirt, a dark tie, and shiny leather shoes—he exudes confidence and irresistible charm the moment he steps in.

Sunlight filtered through the olive tree branches, casting dappled shadows on him.

In just two months, his facial features have matured further; his brow bone is higher and his jawline is more defined.

He looked at the wedding scene in the courtyard, his eyes filled with warmth.

Dumbledore hadn't left yet, and Regulus turned his head and asked, "Professor, shall we go together?"

Dumbledore smiled and shook his head, "I won't go. My sudden appearance in this kind of situation would easily cause people to overthink things."

He looked at Regulus: "Give the newlyweds my blessing. Tell them that an old friend wishes them a long and happy life together."

Regulus nodded. "Okay."

Dumbledore said with a smile in his eyes, "You look great today."

Regulus nodded; he was doing well every day.

Dumbledore added, "Then I'll be going. Goodbye, Regulus."

After saying that, he disappeared.

Regulus had been waiting for this moment; his Spatial Perception had been on the whole time, but he hadn't detected anything.

He shrugged, unsurprised, just like last time outside the Shrieking Shack, he hadn't noticed when Dumbledore had appeared.

But a thought popped into my head: I'll catch this old man sooner or later.

He looked away and walked towards the small house. People were coming and going in the yard, but no one paid any attention to him.

Regulus walked through the crowd, surveying the surroundings.

It was a small wedding, with about thirty or forty people. Chairs were neatly arranged in the courtyard, leaving a path in the middle covered with a white drape.

At the end of the passage was a simple archway, decorated with white flowers and green foliage, which looked clean in the sunlight.

Muggle style.

Ted Tonks ' parents were there, an elderly Muggle couple, dressed in rented formal attire.

The old lady kept adjusting her skirt, while the old gentleman stood beside her, speaking to people somewhat reservedly.

A group of Ted's Muggle friends got together; they were young, energetic, and laughing a lot.

There were also a few young wizards.

Regulus could see the faint Magic Fluctuation emanating from them, but they were indeed wizards.

They blended into the crowd, trying to act like ordinary people, but their habit of always reaching for their wands betrayed them.

Regulus also saw several young girls gathered on one side of the house, chatting and laughing as they prepared flowers and draperies; they were probably friends Andromeda had met in France.

The union of Pure-bloods defector and Muggle-borns is destined to be rejected by the mainstream, so they choose to invite only their most trusted people to a foreign land.

Regulus, lost in thought, made his way through the crowd to the staircase on the side of the house.

On the second floor, in a room temporarily used as a bride's dressing room, the door was ajar.

Regulus stood in the doorway and peeked inside through the crack.

Andromeda stood with her back to the door, adjusting her veil in front of the mirror.

She wore a white wedding dress with a long train that stretched to the ground, and her hair was styled in an updo, revealing her smooth neck.

A happy smile graced her face, impossible to hide.

Two girls beside her were helping her adjust her skirt and talking to her. Andromeda listened, nodding occasionally, and smiling even more happily.

Regulus didn't go in; he leaned against the wall in the Corridor and waited.

After a while, the door opened, and the two girls came out first, chatting and laughing as they went downstairs.

Andromeda followed behind, and as she reached the doorway, about to step out, she suddenly stopped. She had seen Regulus.

For a moment, she froze.

The expression on his face changed from doubt to disbelief, then from disbelief to something else: surprise, emotion, and a complex mix of feelings he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Her voice trembled slightly. "Regulus?"

Regulus looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Andromeda walked quickly over to him, looked him up and down, and her eyes glistened with tears.

She sniffed. "You've grown taller."

Then she gestured with her hand. "The last time I saw you, you only reached my shoulder, now you're almost taller than me."

Regulus didn't speak, but simply looked at her quietly with a gentle expression.

She had changed a bit in the two years I hadn't seen her.

She possessed a classic, noble beauty typical of the Black family, with long black hair, grey eyes, and deep-set features, but her demeanor differed from both Bellatrix and Narcissa.

Bellatrix is passionately sharp, Narcissa is reservedly elegant, and Andromeda is gently warm.

At this moment, she stood before him in her wedding dress, her eyes shining brighter than any jewel.

Andromeda, her eyes red-rimmed, whispered, "You've come."

Regulus looked at her and smiled. "You said I could come to you if I needed help."

He then said, "I've come to see if you need any help."

Andromeda paused for a moment, then laughed out loud, "You're still the same."

She reached out to touch his head, but stopped, as if afraid of messing up his hair.

"I thought..."

She only said half of what she meant, but Regulus knew what she was going to say.

They thought no one would come, that no one from the Black family would come.

Andromeda spoke these words calmly.

There was no resentment or grievance on his face, as if he had long since given up any expectations of that family, and even felt that their absence was a good thing.

That expression flashed by in an instant.

She looked at Regulus and laughed heartily, "How did you get here? Did you Apparition?"

Regulus nodded. "More or less."

Andromeda asked again, "Did you take leave?"

Regulus replied, "Approved."

"Did the school know you came to France?"

"Know."

The two stood in the Corridor, sunlight streaming in through the windows and falling on them.

Regulus extended his arm and said gently, "I'll take you out."

Andromeda looked down at his outstretched arm, paused for a moment, then smiled, a smile that was unbelievably radiant.

She reached out and took Regulus's arm. "Okay."

The two went downstairs together, and no one in the courtyard paid them any attention.

The Confundus Charm worked very well; no one noticed the boy who had suddenly appeared.

Andromeda linked arms with him, walking slowly, the sunlight warming them.

She didn't say anything, she just walked away, and Regulus didn't say anything either.

Crossing the courtyard and bypassing the crowd, Andromeda led him to the other side.

Ted Tonks was standing in the courtyard, adjusting the sound system with a few friends.

He was wearing a dark blue suit and a bow tie, his light brown hair was neatly combed, and he was tall and imposing.

He paused for a moment when he saw Andromeda walking towards him arm in arm with someone.

Andromeda walked up to him, smiling, and said, "Ted, this is my cousin, Regulus Black."

A complex expression flashed across Ted's face.

He knew about Andromeda and the Black family, and about those Pure-bloods lunatics who upheld tradition and looked down on Muggle-born people.

His first reaction to this cousin who had suddenly appeared was naturally to be wary.

But when he saw Andromeda linking arms with Regulus, smiling so happily and naturally, it was the kind of expression one only has when facing true family.

Ted's expression shifted. He extended his hand, smiling sincerely, "Welcome, Mr. Black. Thank you for coming."

The expression quickly returned, but Regulus saw it and understood it, though he didn't pay it any mind.

Regulus shook his hand. "Just call me Regulus."

Ted nodded. "Regulus."

He glanced at Andromeda, then at Regulus, hesitating to speak.

Regulus could sense what he wanted to say.

I want to thank Andromeda for everything he gave up: his family, his surname, his past.

He wanted to say that he knew what she had sacrificed, so he wanted to thank her and promise to treat her well in the future.

But it's too early to say those things now.

Regulus said nothing more, but simply released Andromeda's hand, letting her stand next to Ted.

He looked at the two of them standing together.

Andromeda's Magic Power is gentle and stable, not particularly powerful, but he is, after all, of the Black family bloodline, much stronger Ted's.

Ted also possesses Magic Power, that's for sure, but compared to the other wizards in the crowd, he's no different—just at the level of an ordinary adult wizard.

Regulus recalled the things that were originally planned for the future.

Andromeda will be happy, happy until Ted dies.

Then her daughter will marry a Werewolf, and they will die together, leaving behind a child.

Regulus thought that those things wouldn't happen, at least not with him.

As for that Werewolf son-in-law—

A thought flashed through his mind.

Lupin and Sirius are friends, brothers, they can get along in any way they want, but asking him to marry Andromeda's daughter?

Putting aside the Lupin Werewolf thing, just considering their identities, he's Sirius's brother, and then he marries his brother's niece—what does that make him?

Love cannot be an excuse.

Regulus suppressed these thoughts and looked at Ted, Ted was also looking at him.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then Regulus said, "Mr. Tonks."

Ted straightened up slightly, subconsciously. "Just call me Ted."

Regulus nodded. "Ted."

He continued, "I haven't seen Andromeda for two years. I came here to see how she's doing."

Ted lowered his head slightly and listened quietly.

Regulus continued, "She chose you; that's her business. I'm just here to see her off on her wedding."

He looked Ted into his eyes. "From now on, you'll live your own lives, but there's one thing—"

Ted raised his head, his expression resolute.

Regulus's voice was calm. "If anything happens that upsets her, no matter where or how long it's been, I will know."

Before Ted could react, Andromeda burst out laughing beside him, "Regulus, are you threatening him?"

Regulus glanced at her, his expression somewhat helpless.

How am I supposed to respond to that question?

Andromeda smiled even more broadly.

She took Ted's arm and looked at Regulus: "Don't worry, he wouldn't dare bully me."

Ted gave a wry smile, "How could I dare?"

He looked at Regulus, his expression turning serious. "Regulus, I know what she gave up for me, something I may never be able to repay in this lifetime, but I can promise you—"

He then looked at Andromeda: "Be good to her from now on, always be good to her."

Regulus looked at him without speaking, and after a long while, he nodded.

Ted visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Andromeda watched the conversation between the two men with a smile.

She suddenly felt that today was truly wonderful.

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