One
Matches Made By the Minister of Magic
By Rita Skeeter
Surprising us all in turn, strictly because of it's absents of a thousand and one years and the barbaricness of it. Law 578, mainly now known as "The Marriage Law", has been officially confirmed as a go. The Law's main purpose was to form arranged marriages for the benefit of the Magical Society, but in truth it only benefits Ministry of Magic. Although the Minister is insisting on telling us that the marriage law will be modified, so that Pureblood singles will be forced for marry Muggle-born or Half-bloods to prevent further inbreeding in the wizarding community. But we all can see the truth behind this ugly lie. For it is well know that the Minister of Magic is a Pureblood, even if he is from a low class wizarding family, and he has had his eye on a young witch, Veronica Pebble, a very beautiful Muggle-born witch. Since the law only effects the Wizards and Witches of Britain, any foreigners in visiting at this time should not fret. Although I would like to warn every young adult out there, because despite what Imelda Velvickys, Head of Couple Affairs, is saying on how this matter "will not be taken lightly and each and every individuals' profile is going to be carefully looked over so that one is not pared with an non compatible wizard or witch.", however this horrendous 'law' will be effecting all wizards and witches of legal age, excluding barren males or females, widows and widowers, and any adult over the age of 50. This means a witch of 17, a child in the eyes of most parents, could very much marry a man 49 years! The unfortunate persons that are selected will receive two letters, one on April the second, informing them of their jobs as partners and the punishments of not fulfilling said needs. The last letter to be delivered will be depending on how long it takes to find a suitable match. When finding out who it is they shell be marrying, the unfortunate souls will be given one year so that they can prepare for a descent wedding, after which they will be bounded for life! Merlin help us all.
The Minister of Magic sighed as he placed the Daily Prophet back onto his desk; the whole 'Marriage Law' business was giving him a headache. It was funny how he was against it from the very beginning, with every given opportunity he would make sure that the entire wizarding community of Great Britain knew where it was that he stood on the matter and that was definitely not for the legalizing law, that is, if it could be considered a law. But since that awful Skeeter woman wrote her article, it all seem pointless, no matter what he would say or do every single witch and wizard would here on out believe that he was the cause of all their suffering.
The Minister began to massaging his head as he mutter under his breath on how he hoped the whole affair was just some really elaborate nightmare and that he would wake up in any minute, that's when a masked figure seemingly stepped out of thin air right into the middle of the Minister office. The stranger waited patiently from where he was standing while the Minister continued on with his muttering. It wasn't until a solid five minutes had passed before the intruder took matters into his own hands and cleared his throat. The Minister looked up in surprise.
"Who are you?" he asked immediately.
However the masked stranger simply ignored him and began to make his way to one of the two oak chairs in front of the Minister's desk.
"May I?" the figure asked in a thick French accent while gripping the back chair in one hand as the other gestured to the empty set, the Minister nodded.
The stranger hummed happily to himself while he settled into chair. Crossing his legs, he began to lazily tap his wand against his the heel of his boot, his piercing blue eyes gazed at the papers on the desk, to the books on the shelf and finally they landed on the Minister, much like a cat would look at a mouse. The Minister felt a shiver run down his spine.
"Who are you?" the Minister asked again as he stared at the intruder not willing to be the one to brake the eye contact.
"Why, bonjour to you too, my dear sir! Lovely weather we're having, don't you think, Minister?" the stranger said in a slow purring manner.
"Who. Are. Yo-"
"You see the question that you should be asking is not who I am, who I am doesn't really matter, but WHY am I here." The intruder said in an almost bored way, "Now that the important question."
"All right, fine, have it your way." Sighing, the Minister then asked "Why are you here?"
"Now that there is a good question. A good question indeed." the stranger's eyes twinkled. "I'm here on business, with you to be precise."
"You are, are you," the Minister said a bit skeptical. "And what kind of business might that be, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Comment puis- je le mettre? You see, there's a war that's been brewing, and, and, uh –"
"You're here to tell me about." The Minister said cutting the stranger off, he thrummed his fingers on the desk impatiently. "Now listen here, laddie, I'm trying my very best to prevent the Marriage Law from happening. It's kind of hard when you're one of four individuals who are against the whole sodding thing. So if yo–"
"Ah, but you see, Monsieur, I'm not here to prevent it, actually, I'm here initiate it."
"You…wait, WHAT? How?" The Minister asked raising an eye brow.
"By killing you." The stranger bluntly replied.
The Minister let a second pass by before asking, "And, uh, how do you plan to do that?"
"I'm going to stab you in the chest," the stranger said cheerily, "but before that I need you to show me who the other two are, if you don't mind."
"There's four of us, and I don't know where they are."
"I already killed Nanette Sherwood, and for so funny reason, I don't believe you."
And it that moment, the Minister dove for his wand, which he had been using as a bookmark in Politics with Goblin's, Troll's and Werewolves, and at the same time, the stranger reached for his ankle and in one sweeping movement, a dagger was plunged into the wand hand of the Minister which cased him to cry out in pain.
"SILENCIO! TAIS-TOI!"
There came a knock on the door.
"Sir, is everything alright in there?" came a woman's muffled voice.
"Merde!" muttered the stranger.
Pointing his wand at the Minister, the stranger said in a low voice "Legilimens."
And he began to shuffle though the Minister's memories.
A minute passed by until women behind the door asked again, "Is everything alright?... Sir?"
By the time the second knocked came the stranger had found what he had needed. Muttering under his breath, the intruder turned his attention to the office door and flicked his wand to secure the door further.
CRASH
The stranger swiveled his head towards the Minister, who had just thrown a paperweight in the form of an glass owl, which had nearly missed the head of the intruder.
"Sir?"
The doorknob giggled.
The stranger wrenched the dagger out of the Ministers hand and drove it his chest while saying: "Avaddo, emeh shien u tum vola. Avaddo, emeh kare tu tum u zalc ra muda. " then he withdrew the dagger and caved a symbols around the wound he had just create.
"Au Revoir, Minister. Avaddo, zak tumla yuta." and with those last words, shadows began to form around the stranger.
And before the shadow engulfed the stranger completely, the last thing the Minister saw was of his twinkling blue eye, as he gave a small mocking wave. And in the final moments of the Minister life, he couldn't help but agree with Rita Skeeter: Merlin help us all.