Title: Stereotypes Anonymous
Rated: Teen
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me.
A/N: These will be drabbles - 100 or 200 words apiece - exploring various trends that I've seen in the fandom over the years.
Summary: Why would the Ministry enact a marriage law? Would Snape be a good father? Does Tom Marvolo Riddle possess a heart? Let's find out, shall we?
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1. A Marriage Law
"This is utterly unacceptable," Harry Potter said, letting the Daily Prophet thump with vengeance on his kitchen table. "I defeated their bloody Dark Lord -- doing the work of far more experienced and better trained wizards -- and they believe they can continue to control and dictate what I do in my life?"
The law was simple upon examination: all witches and wizards of consensual age were required to marry or bond within a set period of time. Those not in compliance would be assigned a partner, and the marriages would be permanent. It was supposed to help restore "stability" and "normality" to the Wizarding World -- at least the British Wizarding World. The Americans, for example, had already informed Britain's Wizengamot that the new law was just the latest example why the colonists had rebelled in the first place.
(Of course, what did those bloody colonists know?)
Harry had only just begun considering what he would do in his life. He wanted to be seventeen. He could never manage to be completely carefree, but he greatly desired to learn what it would be like to be happy for a solid day.
It truly wasn't too much to ask.
The article in the Prophet had announced the latest match-ups and speculations about Harry's own status. He found himself furious over the insinuations that he would simply force himself on another by Ministry decree.
Harry wasn't nearly as unintelligent as he had pretended when it suited him at Hogwarts. He began to plan.
--
Harry appeared before the Wizengamot shortly after his seventeenth birthday, his wand held loosely in hand.
"--Mr. Potter, you are not in compliance--SQUAWK!" A large chicken replaced the current Ministry mouthpiece. Harry's own mouth twitched -- he really needed to do something nice for Fred and George later.
"I will not comply with such a law," Harry responded steadily, "nor will I accept any Ministry-picked partner--"
"--you see?!" Dolores Umbridge stood, her hair tumbling down from its neat and tidy curls, a wild light shining in her eyes, "He has said he will not comply and therefore--"
"--because the Ministry is legalizing rape," Harry continued, causing a shocked silence to fall over the assembly. "The Ministry is requiring that all the marriages be legitimate, indicating consummation, and therefore putting one partner in the position to assault another, and the other in the position of accepting that assault, regardless of either's personal wishes or desires. This is normal in Wizarding society?" Disgusted sarcasm could be clearly heard in his voice. "I find myself feeling enormous respect for most Muggle societies now, as such measures are seen as barbaric."
Furious whispers broke out amongst the assembled wizards and witches. Harry watched, still keeping a casual hand on his wand.
To no one's surprise, the law was repealed, and measures eventually put into place to ensure that such would never be passed again, and also that those who had been put into compliance with the law could dissolve their unions if they so desired.
Harry had received many owls of gratitude in response, and each one made him shake his head in wonder. "Was I the only one who found it unacceptable?" He wondered out loud to Ron and Hermione (their marriage was one that they both had wanted) one day.
"No," Hermione replied after a thoughtful silence. "You were the only one willing to do something about it."
"That's truly regretful," Harry said, sipping at his tea. "Anyone could have pointed out the hypocrisy."
As usual, he had had to do someone else's work once again.
--TBC--