The Battle of Hogwarts ended the war but not the struggle, not the pain and not the death. Rebuilding was a task in itself, not just the buildings but the relationship with the muggle government, with other magical creatures, the werewolves and house elves and dementors and the relationships between all wizarding communities.
Witches and wizards all around the world were demanding change, governments were being overrun, buildings were burned to the ground, government officials had cursed items sent to them, laws were ignored and protests often turned violent. For eight months chaos reigned the wizarding world until the civil unrest boiled over and an attack by radicals on an influential Pureblood family in Morocco with a cursed muggle virus led to something worse than war, the weaponized virus spread throughout the wizarding world becoming an epidemic affecting all magical beings. It was an epidemic that would kill off two thirds of the population in a matter of months, the first to go were the elderly and the children. A cure was finally found, created by an unlikely partnership, a potion injected into the bloodstream containing the muggle inoculation serum with an ancient potion used against the black plague. The cure saved many lives but many more were lost.
In the months that followed governments were rebuilt, coalitions between traditionalists and rebels, between wizarding communities worldwide rose to power, bringing with them new laws and rewriting old ones. The world was changed, there was finally peace but the dead outnumbered the living on a mass scale.
A radical idea was proposed in the Grand Council, the new International Magical Governing Coalition meeting. A radical idea based on ancient wizarding marriage law and the opposite of a muggle law, trying to limit population growth in China, their one child policy adapted and flipped, a one child minimum with incentives for more. It took a few months for the law to be ironed out and agreed upon but the IMGC sent out a press release with details on the law.
The Grand Council has concluded a three-month meeting regarding the Endangered status of the wizarding population. After much deliberation we have come to the conclusion and unanimous agreement to a Marriage and Procreation Law effective immediately, the law is divided into two parts and is followed by new policies and a Family Support Division to provide as much preparation and help as possible to all new families.
IMGC Law 2344987A – The Marriage Law – All living of age witches and wizards must marry within one year of 2 July 2000, meaning they must be married by 11:59 pm on 2 July 2001. All witches and wizards turning 17 after July 2 will have one year to the day of their 17th birthday meaning they must be married by 23:59 on the day of their 18th birthday. Annulment requests must be reviewed and approved by The Grand Council and must meet one or more of the following requirements, non-consummation of the marriage, infertility, physical, mental or emotional abuse, or long-term enforced separation such as through imprisonment or confinement to a medical ward.
IMGC Law 2344987B – The Procreation Law – All witches and wizards of childbearing age, witches 17-67 and wizards 17-87, must produce one magically viable child. For those subject to marriage within one year of 2 July 2000, you will have three years from 2 July 2001 to give conceive. Should a witch be pregnant on 2 July 2004 but not have given birth, the couple will be within the bounds of the law so long as the child is born, healthy and magical before 2 May 2004. Should no magical child survive at that time, couples will be medically tested for fertility and medically assisted to have their child. For each additional magical child above the required one produced government assistance, tax breaks and other incentives will be provided. In addition, if a second magical child is born or conceived by 2 July 2004, the couple will receive a yearly stipend until the children turn 11 and both children's tuition to the magical school of choice will be paid from first to fifth year including textbooks. If a second magical child is produced by 2 July 2006 the couple will receive a yearly stipend until the children turn 11 and the first to third year tuition and books will be to the magical school of your choosing. Should a third magical child be produced by 2 July 2006, a yearly stipend will be paid until the children turn 11 and tuition and books will be paid through seven years at the magical school of your choosing. All witches and wizards turning 17 after July 2 will have three years to the day of their 18th birthday to produce one magically viable child, meaning they must have produced one child by 11:59 pm on their 21st birthday. If a witch is pregnant at the time of her 21st birthday she will be within the bounds of the law so long as she gives birth to a healthy and magically viable child. Should no magical child survive at that time, couples will be medically tested for fertility and medically assisted to have their child. For each additional magical child above the required one produced by age 21, government assistance, tax breaks and other incentives will be provided.
IMGC Law 2344987 will be strictly enforced, exceptions to the Law will not be made, the only persons exempt are those persons who are medically unable to have a child or past the childbearing age. Should your marriage be of the same sex, medically assisted parenthood is available to you and will be supplied free of charge. Should a witch or wizard be medically unable to have a child, annulment is available to the fertile party who will still be required to supply one viable magical child through a new marriage or medically assisted parenthood.
While the ages outlined here are specific to wizards and witches, this law is in effect for all magical creatures, Werewolves, Veela, Goblins, Elves and other magical creatures please turn to the following page for ages specific to your individual requirements to Age of Majority, Mating and Reproductive differences. For those couples who are marrying across magical species, such as a Witch or Wizard with a Veela or Werewolf, or a Goblin and House Elf. Pamphlets will be provided to outline Law 2344987B. The IMGC thanks you for your compliance to the law.
"This is ridiculous!" Lucius slammed his letter down.
"You voted yes." Draco reminded him gently.
The scowl he received would have sent anyone but the man's son running. "I am to old!"
"You're 46, men have children into their 90s." Lucius only snorted in derision, "Did you honestly believe you wouldn't get a letter?" He sent his son another glare instead of answering, which only meant that of course he'd known he'd be subject to the law.
"It ought to have a stipulation for widowers."
"Then you should have made one." Draco rolled his eyes but swallowed a thick lump in his throat as he thought of his mother.
"I'm sorry." Lucius sent a weak smile at his son, knowing what any reference to his mother did to Draco.
Silence fell in the room until Harry walked in, "So it's official." he sighed sinking down in a chair and accepting the glass of firewhiskey Lucius handed him.
"You agreed to it." The older man snorted, the same gentle reminder his son had given him.
"I know." Harry groaned.
"We all agreed to it." Hermione spoke firmly as she entered the room, stride confident and expression firm, "As members of the IMGC we should also try to be among the earliest to comply."
"Sure Granger, I'll just pop out and snap my finger I'm sure a wife will come running." Draco sneered.
"Don't be a prig." She rolled her eyes at him.
"You do have a contract." Lucius sighed pouring more into his crystal glass and lifting it to the young witch, she shook her head and he shrugged moving to sit.
Draco snorted and groaned, "Please no."
"It's only an option." Lucius offered absently waving his other hand, "Do as you please."
"Run off to live amongst muggles?" Draco smirked.
Lucius gave an undignified snort, "By all means, go, try to survive without magic but they'll come after you and as soon as you cast one spell they'll begin to trace you drag you back here and force compliance, not to mention a stay at Azkaban, you know Dementors are subject to the law as well? So many have gone back to that blast prison." He shuddered in remembrance.
Molly came bustling into the room, "Can you believe this!" She waved the letter in her hand, "Subject to the new law! Me!" She stormed into the room with a glare at Lucius as though it were all his fault, "I've had 7 children! Seven! I am an old woman, a grandmother!"
"You're what, 48?" Lucius asked with a lifted brow.
"I'm 51, to old to have babies!"
"Witches safely have babies well into their 60s."
Molly snorted and sent him another glare, "I've had 7!"
"I'm sorry Molly." Hermione sent the Weasley matriarch an apologetic look.
"Oh," she sighed heavily, "You can't base laws just on me dear, I know that, I know this law is necessary too, don't you worry about me or anyone but yourself now, its past time you and Harry were able to think about yourselves a little."
They shared a small smile as Lucius waved a glass of Firewhiskey over to the red headed woman, "How's your daughter today?" He asked changing the subject.
"Better." Molly forced a smile, "She's getting stronger everyday."
Hermione absently picked up the letter on the table beside her, this one was for Draco but it read the same as hers.
Draco Malfoy – We are writing to inform you that as an already of age wizard you are subject to Law 2344987 and must be married within one year of today's date, 2 July 2000. A registry will be available beginning 2 January 2000 for those seeking help to find a partner, all magical beings on the registry will be matched by 2 August 2001 and must be married immediately at the time of matching. If you are not married by 11:59pm on 2 July 2001, and not already on the registry, you will be added to the registry and matched according to the questionnaire with as suitable a match as can be supplied. This marriage will occur immediately in your local ministry office, after which you are to be confined for a period of no less than six months, visiting will be restricted to once weekly conjugal visits by your spouse and a fine of $7,000 galleons to be paid immediately or with an interest rate of 9.7% monthly. Should you attempt to evade the law in any manner, your wand will be confiscated and you will be imprisoned, during which time visiting will be restricted to once weekly conjugal visits, refusal to adhere to the one child minimum or conjugal visitations, medically assisted methods of fertilization will be used, extraction of semen or eggs and possible use as surrogate. For more information please refer to the law outlined in pamphlets distributed by the IMGC or by examining the law in full at your local ministry. The IMGC will be creating various departments and support units to help you all adjust. We apologize for inconvenience to your life and the strict nature of this law, it is necessary for the survival of the wizarding world and all its magical beings. – The International Magical Governing Coalition.
With a sigh she let the page flutter back to the table and tilted her head back.
"Mione?" Harry's gentle concern broke through the others conversations.
With a small smile she looked at him and shook her head, "I was just thinking, how much has changed in only five years. I mean, Voldemort was newly back and if you'd said then the five of us would be sitting here together, would be living here together with who else we live with, I'd have had you committed to St Mungos."
"If you'd said it two years ago I'd have had you committed." Harry agreed with a smile, "Yet here we sit."
"Having saved the world from its own stupidity twice." Lucius snorted lifting his glass to them.
"You helped… the second time." Hermione offered.
Lucius waved at her dismissing his own role, "Perhaps but my help came to late for many."
"Our cure came to late for many." She agreed softly.
"It came though and saved so many. Saved Ginny." Molly offered softly, "She's better today, she's getting better."
"Not Ron." Harry replied hand clenched tightly on the crystal glass in his hand.
Hermione closed her eyes in pain, "Not Ron or Fleur, baby Victoire or little Teddy." Faces rose in all their minds, almost every child under seven and many under fifteen, most over eighty and about half the rest including Narcissa Malfoy and Arthur Weasley. It wasn't just witches and wizards, the epidemic spread through the magical populations effecting anyone with a trace of a magical signature from squibs to purebloods, werewolves, goblins and merpeople, no population but for muggles escaped untouched.
"Isn't this a happy bunch, as usual." Blaise Zabini strode into the room and went straight for the decanter, raising a glass at them, "Thanks for voting yes on this new bit of horror you wankers." He took a gulp and poured more before moving to a chair and dropping into the seat, "So are we discussing who will be marrying whom? Potter, is your girlfriend well enough or does she fall under medical confinement?"
"She's getting better." Harry shrugged, "Can't wait to tell her I helped vote this in though. She'll probably completely recover just to curse me to hell."
"How about you Granger?" Draco asked lifting a brow, "Someone on your mind to fuck in the new generation with?"
"Don't be crass." Lucius admonished his son.
At the same time Molly snapped at him, "Language."
"In uh, you know, less… uh… crass words Mione, who will you marry?" Harry questioned with a slight frown.
"No clue." She sighed shaking her head "and don't you dare say anything Malfoy or I'll reenact third year on your nose."
Blaise laughed and shook his head, "The real question is, who will he marry, I hear Pans is still single."
Draco groaned, "I hate you."
"Well if it's not going to be her, who?" Lucius pinned his son with a determined look.
"Maybe I'll marry Granger." Draco challenged his father.
The man took in a deep breath and just nodded before letting it out, "Ok, ok, we'll have the wedding Tuesday."
"What!" Hermione yelped.
"No!" Draco jumped up.
"What?" Lucius frowned looking from his son to Hermione, "Is it not ok for muggles to marry on a Tuesday?"
"I'm not marrying her!" Draco pointed.
"Thanks." She snorted.
Yanking his outstretched arm back to his body he spun with a look of horror, "Nothing personal, I didn't mean, come on you know I, well it's only been, but we worked so well together, I respect you honest. Hell we created a cure together, the cure, you know I respect you. I even like you, most of the time, almost all the time, as much as I like any of my friends." He turned back to his father, "We're friends, just friends!"
Lucius lifted an eyebrow, "More than most will have with this, no?"
Draco opened his mouth, frowned and closed it, took a breath and went to speak again but closed his mouth and sat back down.
"I wouldn't marry you either Draco." Hermione offered in the silence that descended, "No offence of course because I like you too, most of the time."
They shared a small smile and Draco nodded then frowned and looked to Blaise, "You could marry her."
"Not so sure I'd be up for that task." He offered with an apologetic smile for her, "You did become much prettier over the years, slender, petite and elegant but I still prefer them tall, sophisticated, impeccably dressed and you know, male."
"Thanks" she snorted at the almost complimented from the vain man.
"What about Theo? He survived and is into the smart girl thing." Blaise suggested.
"I believe the young witch will be able to find her own husband." Lucius offered pulling attention away from the slightly pink-cheeked witch.
"What about you?" Draco frowned at his father.
Lucius shrugged, "Perhaps I'll put my name on the registry." They all stared at him in shock, faces varying from horror to pity. "I was married by contract to your mother Draco, I formally courted her of course but I've never… dated a woman and the last girls I flirted with were, girls back in my school days, before Narcissa."
"So formally court someone." Harry shrugged.
Draco snorted, "That can take years."
"Oh." Harry frowned, "You could um… marry a widow, there has to be some nice-ish Slytherin widow. What about your mom Blaise?" Harry flushed immediately, "Sorry!"
Blaise just shrugged and waved a hand in dismissal of the blunder, having long ago come to terms with the death of his mother, and though not unaffected, they'd never been close. "What about you Molly? Got some brute Gryffindor lined up or a Hufflepuff maybe, you have one of those ridiculously large hearts." As usual his compliment was backhanded.
Molly sighed, "I'm old and fat dear, suitors hardly line up for a woman who's popped out seven children and has more lines in her face than a woman a decade older."
"Curves look good on a woman." Blaise shrugged, "It's not like you're Millicent Bulstrode or anything."
"I think you're beautiful Molly." Hermione defended her.
"Plus you've had a butt load of kids so we know you'll pop one or two out in plenty of time." Draco offered.
"Uh, yeah, all that and you know, um, you're an amazing cook." Harry tried to help.
"An amazing woman." Lucius corrected.
Blushing Molly murmured thank you, "Who will you marry Blaise?"
"Me?" Blaise frowned, "Um, well…"
"Me." Percy supplied walking into the room.
"Only if you shave first." Blaise teased the man, forgetting for a moment his boyfriend's mother, his very uninformed mother, was still there.
"You like my stubble and you know it." Percy teased him back.
"I didn't need to know it." Draco offered getting up for another drink and pouring one for Percy, "I'm sure your mother didn't either."
"Mum." Percy nodded to her, "I… well, Blaise and I have been seeing each other."
"Yes dear, I know." Molly nodded, "I'm glad things are working out so well."
"You know!" Harry sputtered.
"I'm a mother Harry, none of my children were as sneaky as they thought, not even you and Ginerva." At that Harry went vibrantly red, more so than Percy was.
"So what gave us away?" Blaise asked, "The I thought the supply closet was the loo excuse he gave a few months back or me apparating into his room drunk last week?"
"When he held your hand under the table in the cafeteria of St. Mungos after your mother passed." Molly offered.
"That was before we started seeing each other proper!" Percy nearly shouted.
"Yes." Molly nodded with a smile, "It's good it's in the open now, I was worried you'd up and marry Audrey or someone like her and never admit your attraction to him was more than… attraction."
"Well," Percy shuffled, "I have now so um, what about everyone else? Can you believe they're making Bill remarry? No provision for widows at all!"
"Dad and Molly to." Draco reminded him.
"You two are marrying?" Percy's head shot to his mother and then he sent a glare to Lucius before sighing and shrugging, "Just as well, you get on and our odd ball new family will stay together plus I think George has a poll going on when you'd bugger each other anyways."
The room stared at him with shock before Blaise burst out laughing and stood to pull his boyfriend into a kiss, "Come on lover, let's go celebrate and let that little bomb you dropped fester."
"What…?" Before Percy could finish Blaise had apparated them both away.
"Someone obliviate that mental picture." Draco groaned rubbing his eyes.
"The two of them or…" Harry waved between Lucius and Molly, "Them?"
"Both!" Draco groaned, "I'm going, now, probably to get pissed, coming Potter? Granger?"
"Sure." Harry shrugged chuckling, "we can brave the masses and hopefully not get lynched for voting this in."
"I sort of want to lynch us." Hermione agreed getting up.
The trio left the other two alone in their shocked silence.