IWSC Season 3, Round 3 Writing School - School: Mahoutokoro, Year: 1, Topic: tropes, Chosen trope: Marriage Law
Word count: 505
MINISTRY OF MAGIC ANNOUNCES NEW RESTRICTIONS ON MARRIAGES AFTER LENGTHY TALKS WITH MUGGLE PRIME MINISTER
Following a week of cabinet talks, held interchangeably in the Ministry of Magic and Downing Street, the Minister Shacklebolt has revealed the new proposed legislation today, at a press conference in the Ministry's Atrium.
The bill, which is expected to pass through the Commons and Lords next week, with the Wizengamot approval expected the week after, brings shocking news to communities, magical and Muggle alike.
At the press conference, Minister Shacklebolt revealed that the new legislation will not only abolish the Statue of Secrecy, a long-standing regulation that the Minister described as 'outdated, something that belongs in history books, not in our current law,' but will also make it mandatory for all unmarried witches and wizards to marry Muggles. When asked to explain the rationale behind this truly shocking decision, Minister Shacklebolt explained that the magical community had been shielded from Muggle Britain for so long, it had 'festered an unbridled culture of inbreeding, which greatly reduces the might of our magical powers and only serves to reduce the numbers of our communities.'
According to anonymous sources from the Minister's negotiating team, this measure is intended to be temporary, although no clear timeline has been given to these new restrictions. However, they are expected to be in place for at least thirty years, as any less 'would greatly reduce the positive effects of this unprecedented change.' The regulation is expected to be reviewed every other year, and amendments may be made, dependent on adherence levels and the forecasted effect on the overall magical wellbeing of Britain.
When asked how adherence would be ensured, Minister Shacklebolt was hesitant to go into details, but he did allude to a registration system, devised collaboratively with the Muggle Cabinet Office. He did, however, express high hopes for the efficacy of this new regulation.
The new Marriage Law has already drawn considerable backlash from the Pureblood communities around Magical Britain. One of our sources, who wishes to remain anonymous, called the proposition 'utterly ridiculous, a disgrace to magic and a certain way to drive our sacred magic into dirt.' Whether the bill draws overall support from witches and wizards remains to be seen, although there does appear to be some muted support for the idea among prominent members of the Ministry, especially those close to Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and Saviour of the Wizarding World.
'I recognise some may not like the idea, but I believe this measure is an important step in righting all the wrongs we have done,' another anonymous source told the Daily Prophet. 'Desperate times call for desperate measures, and pureblood supremacy has been a problem for a long time. We have to root it out completely if magic is to prosper again.'
How the bill will fare in the Wizengamot remains to be seen, as does the Muggle public's response. However, here at the Daily Prophet, we promise to keep you updated through the journey of this unprecedented ministerial step.