Chapter 1- Breakfast and a show
1st January 2001
Sat pouring myself a cup of coffee trying to ignore the pounding in my head. Glancing over at my roommate and his girlfriend I was pretty sure they were suffering the same infliction. I turned to the drawer on my right and pulled out 3 small vials and slid 2 of them across the table. Ginny grabbed them and handed one to Harry "Thanks Hermione, I can't believe how much we all drank last night."
Grimacing as they all swallowed the vile of Pepper Up potion, but you could see their faces take on a look of relief as the potion made a huge dent in their unwanted hangovers. "Hey Harry, what's the plan…" just then the large tawny old, Hermes, flew in through the window and dropped the post in the middle of the table. Hermione grabbed the letters to see if the letter she was waiting on had arrived, Ginny grabbed the paper and unfolded it.
"What the actual…." Ginny screeched alarming both Harry and Hermione. Both hurried to her side to take a look at what had sent their friend as pale as Sir Nick on a bad day. There in the big bold letters, the Daily Prophet was well known for, the headline screamed out "MARRIAGE LAW ENFORCED" all 3 of us paled at that headline, as Ginny scanned the article, mumbling to herself all the while, I glanced at the letters in my hand, one for Harry and one for myself.
"Listen to this…" Ginny scoffed.
The marriage law
"Today for the first time since the war has ended the Minister of Magic has called a press conference after being locked away with the Wizengamot to announce a new law that is rumored to effect all of the Wizarding World."
Hermione looked up from the paper at her two best friends, "We haven't seen the minister in four months this can't be good!" she went back to reading the paper.
"The Minister has announced that due to the deaths sustained during the war a Marriage Law is being brought in as of today. It is to affect those aged 20 to 25 who are not already married. When asked how this would be implemented the Minister had this to say:
"we have come up with a way to match compatible Witches and Wizards, this will be done through a magically spelled questionnaire. All those eligible will receive ministry owls in the next day. They are then instructed to answer honestly and return them within 24 hours. The questionnaires will then be checked, and you will receive a letter containing your match. The law then allows a maximum of a year for you to get to know your match with weddings being held a year from today for all those who have still to marry." When questioned about those who are already in relationships and those couples where one of the couple is under 20 he had this to say, "With all due respect to those, the survival of the wizarding people must come first. All matches made through this law are final, although it is my hope that other than those where one of the couple are underage the others should be mainly unaffected. Of course this is my personal hope and not a guarantee. There has also been put in place a magical ban on those in the age bracket eloping or arranging quick marriages to circumvent this law. There are other fail safes in place and you will marry your chosen match with in that year. That is all I have to say on the matter!" When pushed for more the Minister of Magic refused to comment, as this reported was getting ready to leave the sky darkened as hundreds of Ministry Owls took to the sky to deliver what will change all our lives as we know it."
By the time we had finished reading the article the letters in my hand were starting to vibrate as if to remind me they are there. "Well I guess we know what these are then" I tried to joke, weakly. I drop them on the counter and wrap my arms around Ginny. She's crying silently in my arms while Harry is pacing around looking absolutely livid with the ministry.
Ginny wiggles out of my grasp and just explodes "How dare they! How dare they dictate who we marry, what about those of us who aren't 20 in a relationship with someone who is? Kingsley is going to fix this, I am NOT giving Harry up for some wench when he's mine, God damn it he's mine!"
Harry stops pacing and just stares open mouthed at her "Gin… I love you, you know that. But you read that article, no ifs but or maybes" Harry tries to embrace her in a hug but she throws herself to the fire place and grabs the floo powder. "Ginny, no please….stay" Harry cries looking like he's going to hit the floor any second if she leaves him.
She looks at him with tears streaming down her face "I'm sorry… I just can't… THE BURROW" and she disappears in a flash of Green flames.
Harry sinks into the couch and looks over towards me, I step off the stool I'm sat on but as I go towards him the letters on the side start to vibrate loudly. I grab them both and sigh "best look at these and fill them in, clearly they won't let us walk away until they are done" I take my seat beside Harry and Accio'd an inkwell and 2 quills. As I break the ministry seal on my letter it stops vibrating and starts to glow a pale yellow, Harrys does the same beside me. As I look over the questions it becomes apparent there must be something amiss here as there's only 10 questions and not exactly a lot of room for in-depth answers.
Full name
Blood status
Hogwarts house
Employment status; if employed where?
Relationship status
Height?
Favourite childhood memory
Favourite colour
Favourite food
Ideal qualities in your partner
"Well this seems well thought out" Harry sneers sarcastically. Sighing for what seems like the millionth time in the space of the 2 hours I'd been awake I dipped my quill in the ink pot. Harry did the same and we both filled in the questions. As we both finished the last one, I suddenly snatched his out of his hand and without reading it duplicated it real quick, Harry shot a questioning look at me. "What? I may follow the rules, but I certainly don't trust the ministry with this" shrugging off his questions. As soon as I'd put down both copies on the coffee table the originals burst into flames and disappeared from the table.
"What the Hell?" Harry looked bewildered at the last few embers lingered. "I guess now we wait right".
"Yes, Harry now we wait."
Friday came around and still no word from the Ministry about matches. The household was all on tender hooks. Harry was getting irate because Kingsley kept refusing to see him whether it was via appointment or just a "drop by". "ARGGHHH" came from the kitchen where he knew Hermione was making a cup of tea to try and keep herself busy.
Harry followed the noise and went to check on his best friend. "Hermione, everything ok?"
"Yes Harry, sorry I am fine I'm just frustrated with all this waiting around and since Kinglsey won't even meet with us I cannot even try to pick apart the new law."
Harry looked at Hermione with careful worried eyes concerned that she may not be sleeping again worrying about all of this. He decided to put his arm around her and lead her towards her room. Stopping outside her door he let her go and told her "relax Hermione, I'll be here for you no matter what the outcome, now go get some rest and try to stop that big brain of yours worrying over something this time we cannot control."
A few hours later Hermione was woken by a tap tap tap at her bedroom window, a beautiful proud snow owl stood at her window looking slightly annoyed that he was being made to wait. Hermione shot up and grabbed an owl treat on her way to the widow. "here little fella, sorry if you were tapping long, I haven't been sleeping well" the owl hooted and nipped her finger in thanks. When Hermione looked at her letter, she saw the ministry seal and opened the letter quickly wanting to know if it was her match. Trying not to be too disappointed that she wasn't being put out of her misery she read the letter from Kingsley requesting a meeting first thing Monday morning regarding her match. Quickly scribbling an affirmative reply she handed the letter back to the owl who had clearly waited for a reply and he flew off into the darkness. Hermione allowed herself to relax a little and crawled back into bed and pulled out a vial of dreamless sleep to ensure she got some good rest for once.