A/N: Hello! Welcome to my first M-rated fanfic! Just know that this chapter is introduction. Please leave reviews telling me how to improve it... I'm really not sure whether I'll keep writing this or not...
Harry stretched, feeling his back pop a few times after sleeping in his bed at Grimmauld place. Staring at the ceiling, he remembered suddenly that today was his eighteenth birthday. He rolled out and from the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of someone in the mirror. Of course, after a few moments he realized it was him, but he looked so different it was odd. He still had messy locks of black hair framing his face, and stunning green eyes, but his jaw was more square, his shoulders broader. He saw the world from a new angle, so he guessed he had grown about three inches. His muscles were more defined, and he looked somehow more grown up then he had just yesterday.
Astounded by all these changes, Harry did the first thing he thought of. Racing over to his desk, he penned a quick note to Hermione asking if anything special was supposed to happen on a wizard's eighteenth birthday and sent it with his little owl, Percival. Then he got dressed, his clothes all tight and slightly too small. He realized he needed new ones before his birthday party at the Weasley's tonight.
Walking down the stairs to get himself breakfast, he was surprised by a loud bang that went off.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Ron and Hermione jumped out from where they had been hidden behind a wall, before seeing their target themselves.
"Thanks, guys!" Harry said, before seeing their faces and remembering that morning' discoveries. "Oh… right- Hermione, did you get my letter?"
"No… Harry, what happened?"
"My only guess is that something happens to wizards when they turn eighteen?" Harry ran a hand over his shoulder.
"I've never heard of that," Ron said, looking slightly offended that Harry was now only an inch shorter than he was.
"Er… Why don't we go to the kitchen so I can eat some breakfast? I'm starving." Harry suggested, and he wasn't lying. His entire body felt achy, and his stomach chose then to let out a growl.
"Oh, yeah! We made… Well, I made a whole pancake feast. Sorry Ginny couldn't make it, but you understand, she was up practicing much too late. I mean, they do have a game tomorrow, but still…" Hermione said, her tone cheery, but her face showing the strain of her thinking as she pondered Harry's symptoms.
"I did help make the food! I got out the toppings!" Ron protested as the three went to eat.
. .
"Minister, we need to launch a marriage law." Kirk Durnmeld stated as he shoved a faded packet of parchment onto Kingsley Shacklebolt's desk, which the minister took and examined. "The evidence is astounding. The numbers of magical children born have dropped so far that we will be eliminated within the century. Truly, this is our only chance for survival." The wizard stepped back and folded his arms, waiting for the Minister to finish reading.
"So this is the decree stating the requirements for a marriage law? And we meet all the points?" Kingsley finally replied, beginning to flip through the packet.
"Most. I've underlined the ones we do not qualify for, and they are just tests we need to run. First, we need to test for the purebloods, to check how inbred the genetic material is. This is the main reason we have never had a marriage law, because they have been healthy in the past. Now, of course, you have surely noticed how many squib children are being born to pureblood families. Pureblood couples universally are having trouble conceiving, and we have not seen many muggleborn witches and wizards recently. The main other problem is we need to test for an 'Adam-born.'"
"Which is?" Kingsley looked up from the packet.
"Well, basically it is a gift passed down genetically from father to son. There have been two in the past, Marcus Bronte, in the late 17th century, and Johannes Perverell, in the early 15th. Basically, the latent traits manifest for one year, for one man in his twenties and the other in his fourties, and disappear after the year is over. For that one year, the man has increased strength, stamina, height, looks… everything about them is designed to attract women. They…" Kirk paused to clear his throat uncomfortably, "Well, they are made to father children. For that one year these traits appear, they are driven to find as many women as possible and…" He trailed off, looking embarrassed at discussing such things with the minister of magic.
"I understand." Kingsley said, clearly just as uncomfortable with the topic. "But how would we test for it?"
"That's the tricky part- Adam-borns show themselves usually, especially in times when the gene pool needs a boost. The main key to them is that all children they father during the year will take almost no part of their father's genetics. The children are almost entirely the products of their mothers, and can therefore intermarry without consequence, though of course, most don't because it's very odd to think that you are half siblings." Kirk paused, realizing he had rambled a bit. "In short, the man suddenly on his birthday changes and becomes very attractive, fathers many children, and one year later returns to his former state."
"So we have to bring every man in to test, but you can't exactly test for it?" Kingsley asked with his brow furrowed.
"I guess. Just another reason why there has never been a marriage law." Kirk Durnmeld sighed.