Prospective Substitute

by blueappled

SS/HG: Danger is rife when the Dark Lord sits in absolute reign, particularly with newfangled operations instituted by the fallible Ministry. These are dark times. Yet the light is not vanquished: the key to dissolution lies within the heart.

Prospective Substitute
Prologue

The Daily Prophet
25th August 1997

FUDGE MANDATES MATRIMONY
A necessary measure to prevent the annihilation of Wizarding Race

Minutes before his official retreatment from his post, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has endorsed a proposition from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, led by Pius Thicknesse, which deemed matrimony obligatory between Muggle-born, as well as Pure-Blood and Half-blood wizards.

Two months earlier, the Department of Magical Research (headed by Albert Runcorn) put forth a legitimately-proven thesis that it was implausible for Muggle-borns to have acquired magic without external influences, and the magic wielded by Muggle-born witches and wizards are synthetic manifestations as a consequence of unknown, crafty manipulation.

Secretary to the Minister, Percy Weasley, revealed: "It is a necessary action that must be enacted at all costs. Minister Fudge is absolutely correct in his presumptions – the wizarding race will fall if breeding within individual wizarding communities persisted, and this would further diminish the wizarding bloodlines. Such consequence is undesirable.

"It is imperative for all to recognise the ramifications of such circumstances, which can, of course, be mitigated by implementing this decree. Clauses which follow the implementation of this decree will be unveiled when the new Minister takes the office."

As far as the decree goes, wizarding folks within an age group will be identified and subjected to this decree in batches (the list of names will be published a week from now). Petitioning from the superior wizarding entity is permitted and Muggle-borns will be allowed the freedom of choice within a maximum timeframe of two weeks; thereafter, a charmed Compatibility Quill will determine matches for unresolved cases within each batch. Individuals or families from the superior wizarding entity may apply for immunity from this decree, and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Any attempts to defy the decree from witches or wizards subjected to this law will render the individual Tracked by the Ministry, a trial in Wizengamot and possibly, an Azkaban term.

Several outspoken oppositions have been directed towards this newfangled law. "This is a preposterous imposition from the Ministry!" exclaimed Elphias Doge, Special Advisor to Wizengamot. "Never has the Ministry taken steps to impinge of the lives of the wizarding society! It is the virtue of love that the Ministry stampedes recklessly upon now – a virtue that cannot be compromised lightly!"

Said Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister: "A Compatibility Quill is employed in this case to ensure the best matches are generated. This means that couples can be reasonably fond of each other. The superior entity, as will be determined subsequently by the Ministry, is allowed to petition for the most desired match, and the secondary entity is given the liberty of choice. This is a satisfactory arrangement and will come to remain so."