AN: Hello, everyone, and welcome to yet another Marriage Law fic! Just some notes to get started - I've been toying with this particular plot bunny for ages and I decided it was time to get it down on paper - or, in this case, on the internet. I was originally going to jump right into the story and just rely on the Act itself as my fanon backup, but LucasCruikshankFan101 convinced me to upload it as a chapter. So, here it is! Oh, and every time you review I'll send you a virtual panda, how's that for incentive! Seriously though, please review, it always makes my day. :)
Disclaimer: As much as I wish it was, Harry Potter is not mine to warp adoringly. If it was, Hermione would see that Ron will never be good enough for her and run off with Draco into the sunset. But hey, my name isn't Joanne, so I'll leave the canon couples to the master.
Hope you like it! (Tell me in a review..!)
The Minister waved his wand and long rolls of parchment whizzed their way to every person in the cold court room, settling gently in their laps. "What you have just received, wizards and witches of the Wizengamot, is the written up terms of the Marriage Act, as suggested by Chief Warlock Dawlish. The reasons and terms are all explained in detail in the scroll, which we will now take ten minutes to read through." His deep voice echoed around the room, several frowns visible among the purple-robed Wizengamot members. There was a rustle as the parchments were unfurled and Hermione was already well-familiarized with the contents of the scrolls, having helped Kingsley to write it up herself. She decided to reread it anyway.
Ministry of Magic Act #3741 - Marriage Act 2001
Due to the extreme rise in the number of Squibs, still-borns and miscarriages in the magical community, the Ministry of Magic have seen it necessary to introduce the following Marriage Act. The Ministry have made an effort to ensure that the Act is fair to all participants, and is only passed as of the dramatic decrease in the wizarding community's birthrate. The Ministry has been considerate when drawing up the clauses of the Act, which aim to make the couple's married life as happy as possible and produce enough children to counteract the so-called "baby bust" and prevent the extinction of wizardkind.
Participant Clause
Participants of the Marriage Act are classified as fertile witches and wizards between the ages of twenty and thirty-five who are currently residing in or own a property in the United Kingdom at the time of the passing of the Act. Overseas Colonies of the United Kingdom will not be included in the Act as the decline of magical births in the UK was partially because of the Second Wizarding War (WWII), which did not affect the Colonies as drastically as the United Kingdom itself. Permanently infertile witches and wizards and those outside of the age range will not be included in the Act. Participants who reach the age range while the Act is in effect will also be included in the Act. Couples will be matched randomly by Ministry officials to whom the Act is not applicable, but will not be more than three Hogwarts years apart in age. The Ministry will make efforts to match couples within the same yeargroup. Couples will be matched according to blood status – pureblood will be matched to muggleborn, halfblood to pureblood and muggleborn to halfblood. No couples of the same blood status will be matched. Couples are disputable; every participant is given the option of requesting one person with whom to be matched. This will only be taken into serious account if the participants' blood statuses are different, the participants are of similar ages and at least one of the participants is willing or eager to be coupled with requested participant. If multiple requests are given for one person the possible suitors will each submit a contract explaining how they could provide for the participant and their reasons for wanting to do so; the Ministry will pick which of the suitors deemed the best match to marry the sought-after participant. After participants have been coupled the Ministry's decision is final; no participant or couple will dispute this without good reason or without facing repercussions from the Ministry. Already engaged or married couples will also be seen as participants of the Act, with time limits starting from the set date of marriage or the date of the passing of the Act respectively. Couples with two children aged seven and under will be exempt from the Act; couples with one child seven and under will be required to produce another child a year after the date of the passing of the Act.
Matrimonial Clause
After they have been allocated a partner, every couple as determined by the Act must have made arrangements for their wedding - including arrangements for date, venue, guests, catering, attire, and honeymoon plans - which should be no longer than six months after the couples are matched unless special permission from the Ministry is given, for a set fee. A certified Ministry official must be present at the wedding to ensure validity of the vows and magical bonging; a Ministry official can be supplied to conduct the ceremony and magical bonding as per the couple's wishes. Consummation of the marriage on the eve of the wedding is compulsory. Participants are warned that the Muggle option of divorce is not offered to any participant of the Act, unless in exceptional circumstances, in which case a hearing with the Wizengamot should be requested immediately and the participants offered a divorce if it is deemed necessary.
Immigration Clause
Participants of the Act are classified as witches and wizards between the ages of twenty and thirty-five who are currently residing in or own a property in the United Kingdom at the time of the passing of the Act. Overseas colonies will not be included under the Act, and emigration is strictly prohibited. Participants of the Act may only leave the United Kingdom with advanced notification of the Ministry including dates of departure and return, method/s of travel and reason for departure. No participant of the Act may leave the United Kingdom without their partner at any time. Magical immigrants to the United Kingdom of eligible status will automatically be included in the Act, and all of the terms of the Act will therefore apply to them. The Act does not apply to magical holidaymakers staying for up to a year, although if a property within the United Kingdom is owned or rented for more than one year by magical overseas travelers they will be classed as citizens of the United Kingdom and therefore included in the terms of the Act.
Allocation Clause
As a married couple, the participants will share everything, including a Gringotts account, any properties, and other such possessions. Any money they earn will be placed in their joint Gringotts account, and financing must be done together. Hoarding of money or failing to alert the Ministry of an owned property will induce a fine issued by the Wizengamot. In the unlikely case of divorce the Ministry will provide a solicitor to help reallocate possessions.
Accommodation Clause
After their marriage, couples must live together for the duration of the Act (see Termination Clause). This includes living in the same property, eating at the same table at the same time, sharing their bed, et cetera. Fees will be induced by the Ministry if this clause is violated, and at no point should participants be sleeping apart from each other unless it is unavoidable. Couples must not be further than fifty miles apart when sleeping; this limit does not apply to work or jobs although if an overnight stay is necessary the couple should travel together.
Intercourse Clause
All participating couples are required to have sexual intercourse at least twice a week, except for during the wife's menstruation, illness or injury of either spouse or events outlined in the Bereavement Clause. This is to ensure conception of a child as quickly as possible, and fines will be given by the Ministry if this requirement is not met. All forms of contraception (magical and muggle) are banned after the couple's wedding and will incur severe penalties from the Ministry if used. The use of contraception before the wedding is permitted, although if a child is conceived it may not be aborted in any circumstances. Sexual or emotional infidelity from either participant will not be tolerated and will incur serious consequences for those involved, determined by the Wizengamot, unless given permission by the Ministry under the Sexuality Clause.
Offspring Clause
All participating couples are required to conceive a child within one year of their marriage, and another no more than two years after the first. Extensions will be given only in the case of long-term illness or injury of either spouse or events outlined in the Bereavement and Sexuality Clause.
Sexuality Clause
Homosexual participants must notify the Ministry of their sexuality, after which they will be allowed to have a parallel relationship with a same-gender person of their choice. Bisexual participants will be classed as heterosexual. Participants are asked to keep their parallel relationships discreet, although complete secrecy is strongly discouraged. The Intercourse and Offspring Clauses must still be fulfilled, although requested time extensions of up to six months after the deadlines will be granted owing to decreased sexual relations between the legally obliged couple. This privilege will not be extended to heterosexual participants.
Bereavement Clause
The Ministry will grant extensions to participants who have recently suffered the death or illness of someone close to them. An extension for the death of close friends will be given for up to a year, a parent, sibling, spouse or other close family member for eighteen months, and nine months for the prolonged illness or injury of a close family member, spouse or friend. An extension of six months will be given in the tragic event of a miscarriage. The participant/s affected will be given the option of grief counseling provided by St. Mungo's Hospital of Magical Maladies and Injuries in conjunction with the Ministry of Magic. Another extention may be petitioned for with a hearing with the Wizengamot in exceptional circumstances.
Abuse Clause
No kind of abuse will be tolerated under the Marriage Act in any way, shape or form. This includes and is not limited to verbal, emotional and mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, economic abuse, and domestic violence. The consequences will be severe. The Ministry does not endorse abusive relationships at all and will not be contradicted on their decision. The consequences will range from heavy fines to sentences in Azkaban for the perpetrator. Depending on the severity of the abuse a divorce may be ordered immediately and compensation offered to the victim. They have one year to find another suitable spouse, during which time the perpetrator will be detained from remarrying. This time period may be extended as per the severity of the abuse, and may be carried out in Azkaban or performing community service.
Termination Clause
The Marriage Act will only be terminated after a substantial rise in population and at the vote of the Wizengamot. Should the Act be terminated at any point, the option of divorce will immediately be offered to all participating couples, except those with a child under the age of twelve. This is the age deemed by the Wizengamot to be the youngest stable age for a child to deal with the divorce of their parents, as they will have attended Hogwarts for at least a year and will be mature enough to see both parents' points of view. Any couple filing for divorce must provide reasons for needing it and attend an official Ministry meeting, during which they will discuss the terms of the divorce, shared property, childcare arrangements and any other business needing seeing to. After the terms of the divorce have been agreed to, the participants will both sign a document to make the divorce official in the eyes of the Ministry. The parchment will be charmed to only accept the signatures if at least one of the participants truly desires the divorce; therefore no participant will be forced to stay in a marriage they do not want, but also ascertain that the participants absolutely do not want to continue their relationship. Couples with signatures rejected by the parchment will be turned away and will need to reapply for a divorce if one or both of the participants' feelings changes.
Hermione was soon finished and quietly rolled up her scroll, slipping it into her purse. Most of the people in the room finished reading soon after her. Kingsley began speaking again. "As you can see, the Marriage Act is, unfortunately, an Act of necessity You will be allowed to keep your copy to reread more carefully, although if you show it to anyone who doesn't know about the Marriage Act it will look like a potions ingredients list for a Shrinking Solution. You are all warned that there will be repercussions for anyone who tells another about the Act, as we do not need news of this reaching the ears of the Prophet. We will meet again in one month's time on the fourteenth of February to vote on the passing of the Marriage Act. Meeting of the Wizengamot adjourned at four minutes past five." He directed his last words at the pimply scribe sitting in the corner of the room, who scribbled it down quickly. Hermione made a mental note of his eagerness, wondering if she could promote him to a position in the Minister's offices. The Wizengamot rose as one as Kingsley took his leave, Hermione, Dawlish and his two other advisers following soon afterwards. They heard a large rumble as they swept up the corridor away from the courtrooms. "That went well," remarked Dawlish.
"As well as can be hoped for, John, but we shall have to see what sentiments their verdict implies in after they've had a month to think it over," replied the Minister darkly. Hermione knew he was worried about the outcomes of passing the Act. She also knew he was absolutely right.