"Oliver Wood." Alice said, looking at the paper.
"Oliver Wood? THE Oliver Wood? Gryffindor Quidditch captain? Keeper for Puddlemore United Oliver Wood?" Fred asked looking at her trying to get a confirmation. The twins knew Oliver and they knew Alice.
"Yes Fred, though I don't exactly know how many wizards are named Oliver Wood so I will have to presume that it is the same man. It says here I can find him at 427 Downton Road in Renton, Vale of Leven, Scotland." Alice said looking down at the paper. Scotland huh? She must admit that the Scotts do know how to make a man, but Renton? She didn't have the slightest idea where that was.
"Freddie, that is Oliver's Address…and lucky for us we know where he lives. And when he gets done with practice we will take you there, Verity can watch the shop for an hour whilst we drop you off." George said, trying to keep himself composed. He didn't like this marriage law one bit. As he said that, an owl flew in and dropped two letters down. It was a Ministry owl.
"Looks like you two got your letters as well. Go on, open them up and let's see. Then you boys open your shop and I'll have to go see my parents. My father is going to go mad." Alice said, amused by the horror stricken look on the twins faces as they picked up their letters. Slowly opening them, they read down, trying to see if anything was different from Alice's seeing as they were Purebloods. George got to the bottom of his looked at his 2second sheet and a look of relief came across his face.
"Oi! I got Angelia! I guess this will stop me from having to pop the question now wont it! Least I know we get on well! Who'd ya get Freddie? Can't be that bad by the looks of your face, she may as well been!" George said in a happy mood. Everyone knew that George and Angie were starting to get serious and the talk of a potential marriage was in the air. This just settled the debates.
"I got Hermione Granger mate. Ron's going to KILL me!" Fred said exasperated. Alice couldn't help stiffen a giggle. She assumes they haven't heard that Hermione and Ron broke up about a month ago on good terms. Ron was now dating Lisa Warren, a Muggle born from Ravenclaw.
"Oh Fred! Ron and Hermione broke up ages ago! Your mum will be very happy though! She's been writing me saying she worries Hermione will never join the Weasley family. Though now she may be a bit upset I wasn't paired with one of you two buffoons. When does Oliver finish practice? "Alice asked, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.
"Oh right, it's the off season so around two. We'll take you over to his house around three and then we can all meet here for dinner. Sound like a plan?" George asked, distracted with his twin who now had his head on the table.
"Sounds good. I'll just leave you two to it then. I'll see you at three." Alice disappeared into the floo and appeared at her parents' house.
Her parents had a respectable house in a muggle suburb of London. It was two stories and had a beautiful garden. There she saw her mother planting some herbs. A breeze came by and the smell of honey suckle filled her nostrils and she was home. She was home and about to tell her parents she was getting married to man she had never truly met. Her father was a wizard and her mum's a muggle but when they fell in love her father left most of the wizarding world behind in order to be with her. During her childhood, she was exposed to magic just not as some children are. She had a child's broom and helped her father brew potions he made for the local Apothecary, but she also went to muggle primary school and watched tv. Taking a deep breath in, she opened the gate and walked forward calling out for her mother.
"Mum I'm home!" Alice yelled out to her mother. She had headphones in.
"Alice dear, what a pleasant surprise! What do we owe the pleasure so early in the morning?" Her mother asked, taking off her gloves. She looked at Alice with her brilliant blue eyes that they shared and her honey hair blowing in the breeze.
"Well mum, have you or dad read the Daily Prophet yet today?" She asked nervously, thinking they may already know.
"Of course not honey, we stopped our subscription to them during the war. The political nonsense going about." Her mother replied with a slightly more concerned look on her face.
"Well, is daddy home? I need to speak with the both of you, it's very important."
"Yes he is love, lets go inside to speak. Have you had breakfast yet? Though it is nearing lunch time, coffee or tea?" Her mother asked, though she knew the answer. Ever since her daughter was young she never liked tea, always preferred her coffee. Alice followed her mother inside the house into the living room where her father was reading a book.
"What a surprise! What are you doing here? Don't you have work?" Her father asked looking at her over his glasses, piercing her with his green eyes.
"She has something important to tell us Jackson, let's go into the kitchen to have something to drink." Her mother said leading the way to the kitchen. Alice sat down with her father in the breakfast nook as her mother prepared the drinks. She loved her parents and felt it was very important she tell them about this immediately.
"So Alice, what is this all about?" Her father asked while her mother handed him his tea.
"As you know I work for the ministry of magic. You also know I work as the assistant to the Director of Magical law enforcement. This morning the Minister announced a new law. This law is requiring all unwed witches and wizards to marry. By the end of this year. With the witch or wizard of the ministry's choosing." Alice said as fast as possible. Things like this is why it was so easy for her father to leave this world.
"What! That law-that law-" Her father started, "You will not be obeying that law! You will find yourself a nice muggle and marry them when you're good and ready to!"
"If I do not comply, they snap my wand" Alice said quietly. She should have met Oliver and then did this part.
"Snap your wand…there any way out of it?" Her mother asked her. She knew that to a witch or wizard their wand was an extension of themselves and losing their wand, losing the ability to do magic, was like losing your soul.
"No, my boss pulled me in and explained to me that he was going to give two weeks of to get situated and then he is going to need my help with this whole ordeal. I got the name of the person I am to marry." Alice said uncomfortably. She knew she never asked if she could get out of it, she just accepted the situation the way it was. Could she get out of it? No, every other wizard is going to be paired up, the dating scene is going to be miserable if she opted out.
"Well, while I get lunch ready why don't you tell us who the man you will marry is." Her mother was trying to accept the situation.
"His name is Oliver Wood, and he is the ke-" Alice Began
"He is the Keeper for Puddlemore United and was just named Captain. He also was named Britain's most eligible bachelor." Jackson answered simply.
"How did you know that?" His daughter asked in surprise at his knowledge. She knew he liked Quiddich, but she didn't think he liked it that much.
"I read. "He replied.
After their discussion on her new marriage to be, they had an enjoyable lunch. She is going to have to remember to take more time to visit her parents. After all, she is very lucky to still have hers. She knew so many people who had lost their parents as the result of the war. She knew Teddy Lupin, Harry Potter's god son, had lost his parents during the battle. After the lunch she said her farewells and aparated to the twins flat. It was almost three and they were going to introduce her to her new husband to be.
"Hey guys, ready?" She asked walking through the front door.
"You know, we've been thinking. We think-"George started.
"We're going to run away to Europe or the Americas. Escape this law." Fred said grinning.
"All three of us." George finished.
"No you're not because no matter how far we get your mother will find us, and didn't you read your letter? It said ANY BORN witch or wizards so like Charlie? He was born here, he is still subject to the law. So let's go so I can get this over with!" Alice said grabbing their coats.
Arriving in front of Oliver's house via side along was terrifying, she had never aperated that far away before. She stood there looking at the front door of the humble home. It was on the Scottish hillside with the forest surrounding it. She knocked on the door and heard shuffling.
"'old on ya hackit twins. I told ya I 'ad to shower after practice!" The man behind the door screamed. Finally opening the door. And there she saw him. Oliver Wood standing in a towel wet from being freshly showered. He stood a handsomely six foot four with auburn brown hair and bright green eyes. His body was sculpted as you could see every muscle down his body. His wide shoulders suited his frame amazingly. He stood there watching as the young woman he has never met study him as he held his towel around his waist. He looks behind her and see's the meddling twin friends of his. When he made eye contact they smiled.
"Oliver, meet Alice Hexum, your fiancé'" Fred said loudly.
"And now we leave you! Dinner is at eight at mum's Alice! Bring Oliver." George said turning with his twin. In a pop, they were gone.
Oliver looked at the girl, blue eyes with bright red hair. She could almost pass as a Weasley, but her last name was….Hexum? He thought it over as he noticed her height: a short five foot one, her frame slender and soft.
"What can I do for ya, lass?" Oliver said in his rough Scottish accent.
"Have you seen the paper Oliver? Or check your mail?" Alice asked, hoping he didn't think she was a crazed fan.
"No, I haven't yet."
"Well, I think you should go check your mail at least, please. I'll wait here while you do. You won't be happy most likely. But like I said, my name is Alice Hexum. When you read your letter from the ministry you will see why this was important." Alice replied. She watched the attractive Scotsman walk into his home and come back out with an open letter she recognized at the letter from the ministry. His face went from angry to even angrier as he cussed under his breath in Celtic. Then he went to the second page that held her name. At this moment he just stared. He went from staring at the paper to staring at her like her couldn't believe what he was reading. He was going to be forced to marry this gorgeous girl. He could have gotten it worse, she could have been a deatheater.
"You're Alice Hexum." He asked looking at her.
"Yep, and you're Oliver Wood."
