Hermione's point of view
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stood on platform 9 ¾ looking at the big scarlet train. They were all nervous for the upcoming year. Hermione was the first to speak, "Well, I never thought I would be riding the Hogwarts Express again." Ron and Harry nodded.
"I'm just happy I get to be in the same year as you" Ginny said eagerly.
"Ya right" Ron muttered "you're just happy that you get to be with Harry"
"Do you have something to add to the conversation Ronald" Ginny asked anger in her voice.
"I was surprised to receive my letter asking the previous 7th years to come and finish their schooling." Replied Ron Hurriedly.
Two weeks ago all the previous 7th years received a letter from Hogwarts:
Dear Seventh Years,
Since the aftershock of the end of the war has ended we are inviting all the seventh years to finish their schooling. You are asked to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a seventh year you will be in class with the new sevens also your old classmates.
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts
I laughed "Honestly did you really think that they would let us slide for not finishing the seventh year?"
"I was hoping." Mumbled Ron, and Harry at the same time. The train doors opening as we started to push our carts towards them.
I smiled, "Come on you three. Let's find a compartment."
"We all know you are just happy to end up being head girl, you know it all" Ron whispered under his breath
"What was that?" I asked Ron in annoyance and sarcasm sending him a look that said do you really want to find out if there's an afterlife pal?
"Nothing" Ron said in a rush seeing my death stare and with that, we boarded the train. Me trying to sit as far away from Ron as I could with no such luck.
"Anything from the trolley dears" yelled a voice down the hallway. They had been on the train for almost an hour now. Carless chatter had been said amongst the four and Ron was complaining because Harry and Ginny were cuddling.
"Come on Harry let's get some something from the trolley" Ron said happy for an excuse to split the happy couple apart. Harry leaned down to Ginny whispering something in her ear. Ginny blushed deep red. Ron mumbled unhappily dragging Harry down the hall.
"Come on Gin fifteen minutes until we get to Hogwarts lets go get changed into our robes." Hermione said. The two grabbed their carry-on bags and started to walk down the hallway.
"I really wish Ron wouldn't give Harry such a hard time he would never hurt me and he loves me Mione." Said Ginny.
"I know I wish he would to Gin but he is such a stupid prat" I said
"He was a prat to you this summer, and he says he wants to try again and make up for it" mumbled Ginny
I sighed "I know he does but I can't forgive him, how would you feel if you walked in on harry being ridden by his ex-girlfriend saying how much he loves her and that he will break up with me he promises."
"I know and I hate him for it" said Ginny.
"Interesting" says a new voice "very interesting"
I turn shocked to see Malfoy "What do you want ferret" I say putting as much hatred as I can into those words.
"Nothing Granger just happened to be walking by when I heard that the weasel cheated on you and I find that interesting."
"And why would that be?" I asked
"I always thought that you would be the one to cheat."
"Well I wasn't the one who did" I say stomping away grabbing Ginny's arm and dragging her with me.
"Hey Granger like the outfit" Malfoy called after me chucking. I look down at my outfit seeing that I am wearing tight jeans and on a tank top showing quite a bit of cleavage. Dang him.
"Is it possible that the war could have made him hotter" Ginny whispered to me.
"Ginny" I said appalled.
The great hall
In the great hall McGonagall had given the opening speech as the new headmaster but the hat stood there on the stool even after the new first years sat at their hoses voices filled with excitement. The sorting had been done over an hour ago and they had always put the hat away but there it was singing to a bunch of first years that had long ago finished their dessert. This puzzled me why was it still there?
"Welcome!" she said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we end our banquet, I would like to say a few words. I am very pleased to see that many of our old students have come back since the end of the war." Cheers and clapping "Now I know you all have a big day ahead of you tomorrow so I ask you all to go to your dorm rooms except I would like the sixth and seventh years to stay behind for a few minutes." The four other classes shuffled out of the classroom thinking nothing of it.
"Attention everyone!" called Professor McGonagall. Silence enveloped the Great Hall. "I bare some unexpected news from the Ministry."
Hushed whispers were at the tables wondering what the news could be. "It has to be about the war" says a nearby student.
"Silence! The ministry has just created a new law. Now I am going to put this as gently as I can…since the after effects of the war it would seem that there has been a 68% decrease in the wizard population creating a marriage law…this law has come to be, because if we do not take action the whole wizarding word will go extinct" Mrs. McGonagall's words hung heavy in the air.
Force them to marry at sixteen they couldn't! Could they? Pansy's voice was the first one to fill the air "At least we get to pick who we marry" she said sending hopeful glances Malfoys way. Malfoy's face showing signs of extreme disgust.
"My dear" Mrs. McGonagall's now soft "To make sure these marriages stay in place we are going to have the sorting hat match you to your most compatible match." They were all silent waiting for the gotcha just a new spook to get Hogwarts back u and running but it never came. Cries of protest filled the hall "Matched…marry at sixteen…is just so preposterous…what would that old hat know…and many bloody hells."
Marry at seventeen no it couldn't be… An outraged Draco stood up anger heard in his words "You must be joking the hat" Everyone else stunned.
"I hate to inform you Mr. Malfoy but I am not" Mafoy sat down looking stunned and helpless. "Thank you know as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." Malfoy sneered at her from across the room. "The hat will choose for you, now some of you may be wondering why the hat is choosing and that is because the hat sees your personality and is all knowing…it is the one thing in this world that knows all your secrets." Many people's faces were scared the hat knew their secrets from first year but what about all the secrets this year.
"What about those of us who have boyfriends" Ginny asked gently taking Harrys hand in hers.
McGonagall's voice went softer when she saw this "The hat knows best if it is not meant to be then to not meddle with things my dear girl."
"Now the law is affecting all witches and wizards of the ages sixteen to twenty five. Many of you will get someone in a younger grade the hat will remember this from their first year if this happens you will have to wait for them to turn of age. You will have to be married in the first four months, and a week after the wedding pregnant.
Pregnant? Have a child that means I would have to sleep with one of these baboons and I do not want to do that.
"I see some wary glances but you do not have to sleep with your partner the males sperm will be implanted through a needle they will also add in other ingredients so that the pregnancy will only take three months"
I feel like I'm going to bawl my eyes out looking around the room most of the ladies seemed like they were about to have a break down also.
"You will not only be matched from our school there will be others from other schools of course we will have Durmstrang and Beauxbatons join us for the law tomorrow." The headmistress said with ease.
Hermione noticed many of the males went woozy remembering the Beauxbatons girls. "I hope I get me one of them" Ron whispered to Harry rather loudly. Hermione huffed with annoyance.
"Which brings me to the topics of veela… half of the students at Beauxbatons are veela. They can be both males and females. They will not have to put the sorting hat on if they mate with one of you" McGonagall said.
"Mate" students asked in confusion.
"Mating is a process where a veela will choose you to be their one and only forever it is a bond that cannot be ignored. Anyone else in the world will cease to exist to you and them. You will have no control over if one of them wishes to mate with you. There is no known answer as to why they do this it is said if you are attractive they will mate so no other woman or man will ever have you. If you do not wish this to happen to you the ministry has sent over magical bracelets, so that the veela can't choose to mate with you. If one does try this it will not work, you will feel only a strange tingling feeling saying that they have tried. If you want one you can get one after the hat has analysed you" The headmistress said.
"When will we have the results of who we are matched with" a girl from hufflepuff calls out.
"Hogwarts shall be analysed today, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons tomorrow that is if they have no mated by then. Tomorrow we will have another announcement about who your perfect match is and about the new school arrangements."
Questions bubbled into the air.
"We do not have any more time to talk everything will be revealed tomorrow including you match." The headmistress said "Now please form line and give your nam when it is your turned to be analysed. If you wish to have a bracelet, please go over to Professor Flitwick and he will hand you one."
My mind was moving a mile a minute it was all so confusing, I was more worried about school and… Gulp… who my perfect other would be. I as definitely going to get one of those bracelets, I would not have one of those boys mate with me. I knew all veela were very beautiful but I was not going to be forever with an imbecile not that any of them would choose me any way.
The line grew shorter and the hat started to yell. "YOU CHEATED ON THAT LOVELY GIRL MY RONALD WEASLY HOW YOU HAVE CHANGED. YOU ARE NOW BECOMING A WHORE" The hat screeched at Ron.
Ginny who is in line behind me starts to giggle and I couldn't understand ether to be appalled or to giggle with Ginny. I decided on option two.
"I think that's enough" McGonagall said as she pulled the hat of quickly the hat still spewing insults after Ron. I couldn't help but notice that Ron did not take a bracelet. Then it was my turn.
"Hello my dear" The hat said as it was placed on my head
"You do not have to be sweet to me because of Ron"
"Well I'm going to anyway. My, my a broken heart but still your courage and your feisty attitude are there. I will pick someone good for you." The voice said.
"Thank-you" I whisper as the hat was being taken off.
I walk over to Professor Flitwick "I thought you would be over here" he says as he snaps the bracelet on Ginny has just finished with the hat when she walks over and also gets a bracelet.
"Good analyse" I ask.
"Well the hat says he already has someone picked out for me and since Harry was ahead of us I'm hoping that the hat means him."
"You both got the bracelets right"
"Of course Mione. I'm not going to let some snob steal my man" she says in a macho voice. I laugh as we make our way to the common room.
"Let's get the girls to come to one room for a sleep over" Ginny looked at me. "Well I thought that all of them must feel as crappy as me or even worse" I tell her.
"That's a great idea Mione" We continue walking through the halls almost to the archways.
"Ow" before I could follow Ginny through the archway I was bumped into the wall a sharp pain flowing through my hip. Turning my eyes linked with cool silver ones.
"Watch were you're going mudblood" Malfoy said as he walked past.
"That man has a nice bum" Ginny sighed as soon as Malfoy was around the corner
"Ginny" I say once again appalled.
"I wonder who his match will be" she says lust in her eyes.
"Probably be mated as soon as the Beauxbatons carriage doors open up" I said jokingly.
"I don't know about, that he had a bracelet"
"Do you stalk this man Ginny?"
"No I'm just very observant. If I wasn't with Harry and he wasn't a slytherin it would be destiny. I'm jealous of whoever gets him." She said
I narrow my eyes as I rubbed my sore hip "Well I pity whoever has to marry him."
