Life's Decisions
I don't own the characters.
Sitting around a table in the Leaky Cauldron, they looked like any other group of young men. It was only when someone drew close enough to overhear their conversation that it became obvious that these young men were not out just for a night of drunken debauchery, but had serious issues they were discussing.
"Marcus, it should be easy for you. You have Quidditch groupies following you everywhere. Some of them have to be Mudbloods. Just pick one," a platinum blond with pale grey eyes pointed out.
He was immediately answered with a scowl. The large man he had been addressing with frighteningly misaligned teeth looked like he wanted to squash the blond. "Draco, why would I want a Quidditch groupie? They drive me nuts as it is. All they're good for is sex. Didn't you ever realize the thrill of that wears off?"
This answer received chuckles from the other young men at the table. "We are in so much bloody trouble over this stupid marriage law. All I hear about is how hard it is for the Mudbloods. But no one thinks about the ramifications to US!" I third member of the group complained, getting agitated after a few drinks. "I mean, they at least get someone chosen for them if they refuse, and if no one offers, they're off the hook. But us? If we don't make an offer, we get thrown in Azkaban!" Adrian Pucey, like the other members of the group, was confronted with his impending future.
"And that's not even the worst part for us Slytherins, Adrian!" The blond was getting worked up, too. "The worst part is we Slytherins don't KNOW any Mudbloods, or really any half-bloods, either. I mean, they just don't get sorted into Slytherin! Well, I guess the occasional half-blood does, but they're all male, usually hate muggles more than we do, and plan to prove themselves by whatever means necessary!" Draco was on a tangent.
"Hmmm, that's true, isn't it? The Weasley's have all managed to pair off and marry under this law already, haven't they?" Pucey asked.
"Well, not all of them. The two youngest are still single. Ron and Ginny. But Ginny is still underage, and a girl, so the rules are different. I think Ron and Lavender Brown are getting married soon, though. So all the ones that might end up in Azkaban are married," Malfoy answered him.
"Do you know who the rest of them married?" Pucey asked. He didn't usually keep up with the gossip, even though he worked in the office that was responsible for the law, but he knew the blond Slytherin did. However, his answer came from the fourth member of their group.
"Well, the oldest was already married to the French triwizard champion…uh…Fleur," Montague told them. At this his companions looked impressed. They all remembered the part-vela from their Hogwarts days. "The one who works with Dragons apparently married another member from the Order of the Phoenix before the end of the war…some auror."
Malfoy interrupted at this point. "Yes, she's my cousin on Mum's side. She goes by the name of Tonks. Apparently, Mum got an invitation to the wedding," he said with a chuckle.
Picking up where he left of, Montague continued listing the Weasley sons' marriages. "That stick in the mud that was a year or so older…"
"Percy," clarified Pucey.
"Right, Percy…he married Penny Clearwater." This got nods all around the table. They had been Head Boy and Girl together and there had always been rumors of them dating. "And the twins married Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. Don't remember which one goes with which, though. They had a double ceremony."
"Lucky bastards. Those were some hot chasers in their day," Pucey added with disgust. "Sounds like the Weasleys all did pretty well." This met with grumbles from the rest of the table.
"It just proves my point, though, that this law is out to get us! They all knew some Mudbloods well enough to make it work for them. We don't even know for sure who is a Mudblood! Well, other than Granger, the Ultimate Mudblood," Draco railed against the unfairness of the universe.
"Hey, did she ever get married?" Montague asked.
"Hmm, not that I am aware of…" Pucey answered.
"You can't be serious! She's horrible. She's irritating in the extreme!" Draco was getting worked up, color flushing his pale cheeks.
"Malfoy, she's not drop-dead gorgeous, but she's not bad, either. At least, out from under the school robes. She's smart and powerful, which would be a good thing in a potential mother of any children…and she has political connections. She's a heroine of the war, after all. Order of Merlin, First Class." Montague was intent on pointing out her good points, "Hell, she's practically the adopted daughter of the man who is the most likely next Minister of Magic!"
"But that hair! And she has to know the answer to everything!" Draco's voice was rising with each observation.
"We're not blind, Draco. We remember what she was like, including how she looked. I also clearly remember the tension between you and her and her two friends. They were your worthy opponents at dear old Hogwarts. Just like Wood was mine…" Marcus drifted off in though, but only for a moment, "but that was then. Now, we have bigger problems to deal with. We have to find Mudblood wives. And she is a Mudblood, a smart one who is passionate about her friends, a powerful one with much better political connections that most Mudbloods could ever dream of. She's ideal, really," Marcus smirked at the look of dawning horror on the blond's face.
Draco decided to call his bluff, "Well, Marcus, if she's so great, you should petition for her."
"Well, maybe. But she is a bit young for me. I'll have to talk it over with Father. Adrian, didn't you say there was a list somewhere of available partners by age? That would make this much easier…" Marcus said with finality.
"Yeah, we keep a list in the office. You want to come take a look? There won't be anyone there now, so less embarrassment…"
"Sure. What the hell. Maybe we'll even recognize some names," Montague answered.
The four of them left some money on the table to pay their tab and left the warmth and light of the Leaky Cauldron for the coldness of the Ministry of Magic. In their hearts, each hoped that they would find an answer to their quandary.
After Apparating to the Ministry, the four of them made their way down to Pucey's office. As predicted, there was no one around this late at night.
"We'll start with the lists from England. I personally don't know anyone from another country, but if you boys do, I can get those lists out, too," Pucey looked to them for confirmation.
"Nah, we'll start closer to home. I have no desire to mess with translation spells," Montague informed him. The rest nodded in agreement.
"You know, I haven't even bothered to look at the lists, and I work here. Kind of ironic, isn't it? I check names off, but I have never bothered to look for myself," Pucey mused.
"Denial is not just a river in Egypt…" Flint snarked.
"Hey, Montague, that Ravenclaw seeker you had such a thing for is still on the list!" Pucey called out.
"Really? Hmmmm. That might work. I think I will petition for her first, since we can only submit one petition at a time…" Montague answered him.
"Here's the paperwork, and the info. Should you talk to your father about it first?" Pucey asked, handing him a stack of parchment.
"Nah, dear old Dad has told me to get a move on. He doesn't care who it is. To him, all Mudbloods are the same," Montague answered. It didn't take him long to fill out his paperwork while the rest of the boys continues to peruse the lists.
Finished, he handed it back to Pucey. "Here you go. All done. Well, I'm going to head home. Good luck on your searches," and with a half-smile, he Apparated home.
Pucey gave a start of surprise. "Well, well, look who we have here, Mandy Brocklehurst. I always did have a thing for Ravenclaws. I think I'll submit for her."
"He always liked them young, too," Marcus murmured to Draco. Draco snickered as Pucey gathered up his share of paperwork, oblivious to his two friends.
With a sigh, Draco went back to the list.
"Draco, can I be honest with you? For once? Without you flying off the broom?" Flint asked.
Draco gave him a hard look. "Not very Slytherin of you to ask like that, but I suppose we have been friends long enough to overlook the formalities."
"Draco, I really think you should petition for Granger." He held up a hand to forestall the protest forming on the younger boy's tongue. "I'm not your father, and I certainly am not going to tell you what to do, but I do have your best interests at heart. I think if she weren't a Mudblood, you would have been all over her in school. She's not gorgeous, but she's not bad. Smart, politically connected, powerful friends. She's independent enough to have a mind of her own, unlike Pansy. And I remember how you and Pansy were together…Draco, she drove you crazy. And something else to consider, you know for a fact that Granger would never marry you for your money. She's to Gryffindor for that. She's not a gold-digger."
"Marcus, Granger killed my father. Even if everything you said is true, and I'm not even saying it isn't, but…even so…she isn't going to want to marry me."
"I'd forgotten about that. Well, unless she has other offers, she doesn't have a choice. And she's a Gryffindor. She knows you aren't your father."
"I'll think about it. So, fair's fair. Who are you looking at?"
"Well, I just found Katie Bell's name on the list. I had no idea she was a Mudblood. Or a half-blood. Or whatever she is. I never even thought about it."
"Marcus, didn't she hate you at school. Didn't you try to kill her at one point?"
"Doesn't count, it was during Quidditch."
Draco laughed at this, "Right, all's fair in love and Quidditch!"
"Well, Draco, she hated me in about the same way Granger hated you. And Bell had a thing for my rival, Oliver Wood…about the same as Granger and Potter or Weasley or whoever…but she's smart, too, and she understands people like me from her time hanging out with Wood…so…all in all, maybe she'd be a good one for me to petition for…Pucey, where's that paperwork?"
And just like that, Marcus Flint's decision was made.
Seeing his long time friend and ex-Quidditch captain filling out the paperwork to petition for a wife through the Marriage Law made Draco realize this wasn't a game anymore. He had to do this, too, and soon, or risk prison. He no longer had a father to please in this choice, thanks to Granger. The closest he had was a surrogate big-brother in the form of Flint. And Marcus really seemed to think he should petition for Granger.
The more he thought about it, the more resigned he became. Certainly there were no other names on the list he recognized that he had any desire to petition for. The thought of marriage to the likes of Hannah Abbott was horrifying to Draco.
"Pucey, pass me my stack. We might as well all do this tonight," and with a sigh, Draco began filling out parchment that could alter his life.
Marcus couldn't help but smile at the blond he considered a younger brother. He really did think Granger would be good for him. He could only hope Bell would accept his petition. While he'd never admitted it to his mates, he'd always had a thing for her. Always. Well, once she was a little older anyway. He didn't go for pre-pubescent girls, after all.
Bell was blond, with long legs and blue eyes. She was smart. She played Quidditch, not just lusted after the players. If she hadn't had Wood so far up her ass, he may have tried for her sooner.
Wood…there was someone who Marcus could quite cheerfully hate. And did. They were still rivals, playing on rival teams. Marcus's team, the Falcons, won about half the games they played against Puddlemere United. Marcus saw Wood fairly frequently, but realized that in the last few years, he hadn't seen Bell around him. A mystery…
With a glance in the direction of his friends, he handed his stack of parchment to Pucey, chucked Draco on the shoulder, and headed home to contemplate the decisions he'd made today…
A/N: Please read and review...