The Wizarding Act of 1978
Chapter One - The Law
Abraxas Malfoy was a happy man. His only son, Lucius, had decided to take a wife. And a Black on top of that! It was the youngest, a pretty little blonde called Narcissa. Much better than the demented oldest daughter and muggle-loving middle daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black.
His son's pending nuptials aside, he was happy because of the way the Ministry was shaping up. His good friend Millicent Bagnold was named as Deputy Minister for Magic and would be, in the event the Minister was unable to perform his duties, be Acting Minister for Magic.
A wicked grin passed over Abraxas' face as he entered Ms. Bagnod's office.
"Millie!" he cried out with a smile. "I daresay you look better every day."
"Hush, Abraxas," she said with a blush.
"Have you read over my proposal?" he asked, never one to beat around the bush.
Millicent sighed and tapped her quill restlessly against her desk. "I have."
"And …?" Malfoy asked leadingly.
"I do believe that, in order for the Wizarding Act of 1978 to pass, Minister Wollburger will have to be out sick," she told him with a definite hint of malice in her tone.
Abraxas smoothed his fingers over his blonde mustache with a mock-thoughtful expression on his face. His tilted his heat this way and that before reaching down and pulling a gold pocket watch from his expensive waistcoat pocket. He flipped it open and smiled before putting it back from whence it came.
"Millicent, my dear, I do believe the Minister may have eaten something bad. I have a feeling his personal secretary will be in here in a moment to inform you of your duties. I daresay congratulations, Acting Minister."
Mr. Malfoy then smiled deviously at the woman sitting behind her desk before strolling out of her office.
Not two minutes later an Auror came in and informed her that the Minister was being moved to St. Mungo's due to poison.
Millicent nodded slowly before grabbing Abraxas Malfoy's law and heading out towards the Minister's vacant office. She would have to be quick if she – they – wanted this done properly.
--
Three days later, James Potter was walking through Hogsmeade with his younger sister Jane. Lily had asked for some time with her girlfriends to do some "shopping." James took this to mean she needed some time to tell all of her little girlfriends how amazing he was.
Jane snorted at that thought.
Jane Potter was a year behind her brother in Hogwarts. She had long dark hair and dark eyes. She, like her brother, was sorted into Gryffindor and played for the Quidditch team. She was nearly as good a Chaser as her brother.
She surveyed her brother as they walked through the wizarding village. He looked happier, more relaxed, since Lily had finally accepted his pleas for a date.
They'd been together since September and it was nearing Christmas.
"Where're the guys?" she asked him as she wiped some of the falling snow from her shoulders.
"No idea," James said with a sigh. "You know them. I think Peter's in a make-up Potions class and I think Remus is with him. I vaguely recall Slughorn covered with sludge at the end of class yesterday."
"Charming," she responded with a roll of her eyes. "But what about Siri? I would have thought …" She paused for a moment, seeing a group of girls gathered around outside one of the stores on the block. "Never mind. Reckon he's over there in the middle of that gaggle of airheads."
"Doubt it," her brother responded as he scratched the back of his neck. "He's been good lately, yeah?"
"As good as the ever-charming Sirius Black can be, I suppose," she rejoined with a smile. "Three Broomsticks?"
"Only if you let me buy," he insisted. "I still owe you from last time."
"Fine with me," Jane shrugged. "I didn't bring any money with me anyway," she disclosed as she walked past him and into the pub. She waved to Rosmerta, a Hufflepuff that graduated a couple of years ago, as she helped her mother out behind the bar.
"Two butterbeers, please," James said to their waitress, a skinny guy who looked as if the wind could blow him over.
"Hey … wonder why Alberta Bummington is crying," Jane said.
"Who knows? You know how cruel the Slytherins can be. Bet they were just getting on her case about something. Probably Snivellus, to be honest."
Jane was about to reply when a parchment, unaided by an owl, flew in and stopped in front of her. With a look to James and an arched brow, she plucked it from the sky and opened it up.
She nearly fell on the floor when she read it.
"What's it say, Janie?" James asked. She wordlessly passed it to him. He furrowed his brows as he read it.
Dear Ms. Jane Potter,It is my duty to inform you that The Wizarding Act of 1978 was passed this morning. In accordance with this law, all pureblooded witches aged 11 to 18 must become betrothed to a pureblood wizard within one month of its passage. A witch may not deny a suitor. Should the witch, you, in this case, not receive an offer of marriage, her parents will be required to arrange a marriage for her.This law is intended to help stymie the decline of wizarding births in Great Britain. The text of the Wizarding Act of 1978 is available to the public at the Ministry of Magic.Congratulations in advance on your upcoming wedding. Sincerely,Portia LeBrandeaux
Office of Magical Marriages and Contracts
"You're kidding me, right?" James asked after a few moments.
"Guess I know why Alberta's all shaken up," she said softly. "Think of those poor first years."
"Jane! This letter means you! Stop worrying about the first years," James said. "I mean, you have to get engaged! You're not even seeing anyone."
"Please be quiet," Jane said in a loud hiss. "I don't want anyone to get any ideas. We have to figure this out. Now, we just need to keep me away from any pureblood males. If one of them thinks they can get away with it, they'll ask me and I can't say no."
James gritted his teeth and scanned the room. No one he knew of was a pureblood. His eyes then went wide as they fell on the Prophet. "So much for keeping it quiet. They have a bloody list in here!"
Jane wanted to scream. She couldn't believe what was happening. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. She was supposed to fall in love. She was supposed to get married when she wanted to, not when the Ministry was forcing her to.
"Janie, we'll figure this out. I promise …"
Before Jane could say anything in response, Sirius Black burst through the door. His eyes landed on James and Jane and he ran to them, falling to his knees in front of the Potter girl.
"Siri, what's wrong? You look like you've been running," she said as she placed a hand on her brother's best friend's shoulder. "You need to calm down."
Sirius took a few gulping breaths before looking up into the concerned face of Jane Potter. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, exhaling loudly.
"Sirius, talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I saw the Prophet …" he began. When Jane opened her mouth to butt in, he continued to talk. "I went down to Fine Fashions and Precious Gems."
"Sirius …"
"I can't let any of them get you, Janie. The Death Eaters are coming for you. I heard Flint say your name. I won't let it happen."
James, who was still confused, asked, "Why're you on the floor, mate?"
Ignoring James, Sirius took Jane's left hand in his right. "I'll always protect you, Janie. Marry me." It wasn't a question but, in truth, it didn't have to be. And, quite honestly, he didn't think he would be able to withstand her attempting to say no. He figured they could work anything else out together. They were to be married, after all.
He slid the ring on her finger before she could even think to protest. It glowed a bright white, sealing the betrothal, before returning to its true platinum color.
"Oh, Sirius …" Jane whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.
He quilled a quick letter to the Ministry stating that he and Jane Olivia Potter were now betrothed officially and that he would be there with her in London by the end of the evening to register the contract.
"Why did you do that?" she asked him sadly. "You just threw your life away."
"Your family's done so much for me, Janie," Sirius replied. "Now I can finally repay them by protecting you."
"Wait," James said suddenly. "Did you just ask my sister to marry you?"
The Three Broomsticks, full of Hogwarts students, turned to watch the Potters and Sirius Black.
"Did ya hear that …?" someone whispered.
"Sirius Black and Potter's sister …"
"Forgot she was a pureblood …"
"I can't believe they're engaged …"
"I can't believe she said yes …"
"I can't believe he asked her …"
"Oy! Can it, yeah?" Sirius said to the crowd. He then took a deep breath and turned to his best mate of seven years. "James, you know I would do anything for you and your family. This is my way to repay all the kindness you've shown me since our first year. I can protect her and provide for her. You know that," Sirius ended with a whisper.
James nodded tightly before clasping a hand on his best mate's shoulder. "Guess we're really going to be brothers now, yeah?"
Sirius smiled and squeezed a still-shocked Jane's hand. He was about to say something to Jane – probably ask her if she would take a walk with him or something so as to talk about this whole marriage thing, when Joseph Flint walked through the door.
"Jane Olivia Potter, I command you to marry me," he said in a haughty tone.
"No," she responded, a bit of life coming back into her.
"You can't say no," he scoffed. "Come here so I can put the ring on your finger."
"She doesn't have to," Sirius told him.
"You haven't read the paper," Flint laughed. "All pureblood witches of Hogwarts age must be engaged within a month. I'm here within hours of the bill passing. There's no way she can say no to me."
"Of course there is," Jane told him. "I've already had an offer. And I've accepted it wholeheartedly."
James and Sirius both looked at the younger girl in confusion. Neither one could remember her accepting anything. She kind of just sat there.
"Who then? Who could have possibly gotten here before I did?"
Jane smiled. "Sirius Black." And then she pulled a very shocked – though not unwilling – Sirius into their first kiss.