'I can't believe they're doing this to us!' Ron screamed angrily, shaking his head in frustration. 'After everything we've been through, after everything we've done!'
Hermione sighed, looking at the newspaper in her hands. Or rather, what was left of it since Ron tore it from her hands quite abruptly.
'This is awful.' Harry said quietly, 'Can they really pull something like this on us?' The question was aimed at Hermione, but for once, she did not have an answer ready.
Instead, she shrugged and averted her gaze towards the newspaper article which a mumbling Ron still held.
MARRIAGE LAW – GENIUS OR INSANE?
On Monday, a marriage law has been passed by the Ministry of Magic. According to it, all witches and wizards from ages 16 to 30 will have to enter arranged marriages not later than January of next year. These next couple of weeks, witches and wizards in question should await a letter with more information. The letter will include the name of their chosen partner. Should the marriage law be ignored, the offenders will face a term in Azkaban.
'This really is for the benefit of everyone,' Says Theodore Hopkins, the new Minister of Magic, 'We've been discussing this topic for quite some time now, and we have all come to the conclusion that this is the best option for the problems we are facing in our society. I know that a lot of people might not understand this decision, but I can assure you that you need not worry – we will take care of everything.'
While Mr. Hopkins definitely sounds convincing, there are a lot of objections going on.
'This is insane,' says Mrs. Wood, ' How can they do such a thing to our children? I think that not only will it not solve our problems – it will create many more!'
Tom Rodney, a Minister worker, however, is quick to soothe. 'People need to calm down and take the situation as it comes. We did not come up with it out of the blue – we thought about it for a long time, and expertly decided for it. You need to remember that not so long ago arranged marriages were a very important part of everyday life of the wizarding world. Not only that, but it worked quite splendidly too, so why shouldn't it work now? And besides, if (which I highly doubt!) the marriage will not work in three to five years time, witches and wizards are free to get a divorce.
So, dear readers, we can expect a wedding boom any time now!
Hermione thought that this was some awful news to receive on an otherwise ordinary Thursday morning. Looking around, she noticed all the other students with their mouths open, frustration and disbelief evident on their faces. Some of them were mumbling to one another, others, like Ron, were screaming in anger and banging their heads against the table.
Hermione did not know how she should react. Sure, she was angry and upset, but disbelief clouded her head and she could not think clearly. Had the Ministry really the right to just jumble up their lives like that? Was there no law preventing such things from happening?
Next to her, Ron raised his head towards the ceiling which was as gloomy as everyone's mood and cried out in a desperate voice – ' Our lives are screwed, screeeewed!'
Yes they are, Hermione thought to herself.
