A/N: Harry Potter and his world belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights. I am grateful she gives us the privilege of playing in her world.
-oOo-
Chapter 5
-oOo-
Hogwarts, Scotland
September 2, 1997
"Well, you are the first two to ask so far," Madam Pomfrey said to Lavender and Harry. "I know you may feel rushed, but do not do anything rash."
"We understand, Madam Pomfrey, but Lavender and I don't really want to go any further if we are not going to be compatible," Harry told her.
Madam Pomfrey gave them an understanding nod. "Right, then. Why don't you both take a seat behind the curtains, and I will have Healer Dunkin come in and administer the test, and then we have a survey for you to fill out. We will need to submit everything to the Department of Mysteries, and we have been told you should have the results sent to you by owl within two days."
Lavender looked nervous. Harry was too. This was getting real. If they were compatible, then Lavender Brown would be his girlfriend... she would also be the one he would most likely marry as well.
No pressure, Potter, Harry chastised himself.
They sat behind the screen in chairs that faced each other across a table with a stone bowl. Lavender asked, "Are you nervous?"
"Truthfully?" He was feeling very nervous.
"I hope we can always be truthful with each other," Lavender replied.
He let out a breath. "I'm petrified."
She reached over and took his hand into hers. "I am too."
Knowing that gave him courage. "If it helps, I do like you."
She smiled. "It does. I like you too."
He squeezed her hand.
It took a few minutes before a man in his middling years, with a balding head and a broad smile came over to them. He held two folders in his hands. "Ah, our potential first couple of the year," the man greeted them. "I am Healer Jasper Dunkin, and I will be your torturer for the day."
Harry snorted while Lavender looked even less sure. The man winked at Lavender. "Ms. Brown, I assure you I take my job very seriously, I just like to joke around. Neither of you have to do this today. You have a few months before it is required."
"Healer Dunkin, if we take this test, are you saying we need to be betrothed?" Lavender asked.
"Not at all. You can take the test as many times as you need. All I ask is for three galleons and ten sickles," the man said.
Harry reached for his money pouch and the man held up his hand. "I am just joking. You both look so nervous."
"We are," Harry agreed.
The man nodded and looked at the folders. "Right, I shouldn't keep you in suspense any longer then. Can you just confirm that you are Lavender Brown of 132 Charring Cross Road, Apartment A, London, and you are Harry Potter, of the Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole?"
Harry was impressed, the man didn't do a double take like most would.
"Yes, sir," Lavender replied.
"I am," Harry answered.
"So, this is the simple portion." He opened the folders and looked through it. "As far as you know, neither of you are related in the last three generations?"
"Not that I know of," Lavender stated.
"I have no clue. I only know my grandfather was a Potter, my grandmother was a Black and my mother was a Muggleborn," Harry replied.
The man looked up at him. "Unusual. Most with your heritage would have been taught your family tree."
Harry frowned. "I grew up with my Muggle relatives," Harry told him.
"Ah, I see. No matter. The rest of your paperwork from the registration looks in order. Let me get the potion and then we can see if your magic is compatible," he said, walking away.
Lavender was holding his hand very tightly. "Do you really not know anything about your family?"
Harry shrugged. "Just what some people have told me. And that isn't much. I tried to see if there was anything in my vaults this summer, but it looks like most of my family records were burnt up the night my grandparents were killed, and Potter manor was burnt to the ground. "
"I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't know that you grew up totally in the Muggle World. I always thought you just grew up with a family that lived like mum and me. You pick up on magic so fast," she told him.
"Lav, I didn't even know I was a wizard until my eleventh birthday," he informed her.
"Really?" she asked incredulously. "Mum always did magic when we were in our apartment, and I met Parvati in Diagon Alley when we were eight."
He snorted, his face darkening. "Yeah, my relatives don't really like magic."
She frowned at the tone of his voice. Harry knew he would have to tell her all of this at some point, especially if they were going to give this a serious go. Healer Dunkin came back in. "You'll talk to me about this later?"
"Sure, " Harry told her.
"Right, this is a special potion that turns colours, like a rainbow. Depending on the colour, it will tell us if you qualify or not," Healer Dunkin said, pouring a milky looking potion into the stone basin. He only added about two inches. "You will each need to add a few drops of your blood."
He held out some needles to them. "I hate to do it this way, but you must willingly give your blood, so you have to prick your own fingers."
"I hate needles," Lavender said, tightening her grip on his hand before letting it go.
A moment later, they had both dripped three drops in. It took a moment for it to start cycling through the rainbow. It was like the old song: Red. Orange. Yellow. Green followed by blue. Indigo and violet. That's the rainbow song for you.
It stopped at a very dark blue... a dark indigo.
Healer Dunkin recorded the result when the potion didn't change. "What does it mean," Harry asked.
"Well, you two are about four levels below a perfect magical match on a scale of twenty-one points. That will mean your children will be at least as powerful as you are, if not more so. Once you get into violet, it's a near guarantee your children will be stronger than you. I'm not sure how many may score that high, but as long as you are a medium-green or higher, any betrothal contract will be approved as long as your personality tests are good. Anything below a medium-green gives you a higher chance of having squibs."
"Oh," Harry said. Children! He wasn't ready for children.
Lavender looked a little more at ease. After a moment, her mouth twerked up into a small smile. "Well, I guess you are my boyfriend then."
"Yeah, guess so," Harry replied, feeling a little shell-shocked.
"I see you both returned the personality questionnaire, so I won't need you to do the survey. Unless you have other questions, I will get this sent off through the floo right away and you should have owls within two days," Healer Dunkin replied.
Harry looked to Lavender. "Well, Ms. Brown, you want to go on a date this weekend?"
"I thought you would never ask," she said with a smile.
-oOo-
Hogwarts, Scotland
September 4, 1997
Harry watched a team of goblins pulling in a sledge with supplies for the rooms that were being built on the third and fourth floors of the East Wing. The rooms would be new suites for married couples.
Watching them go past, Harry was thinking things were all over the place this year. The DADA rooms, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy had been moved to the ground floor of the East Wing. Never mind the tension of half the school.
"I know McGonagall said they were doing this, but I never thought I would see goblins in Hogwarts," Dean said from behind them.
Lavender took his hand. "Just don't get in their way. Goblins can be tricky but will not break a contract."
"Come on. I'm hungry," Ron said to them.
"You just want to see Susan," Hermione said matter of fact.
Ron smirked and shrugged. "That too."
Dean frowned. "This whole thing sucks."
"I know what you mean. Some of the best-looking girls are now off the market," Seamus said.
Dean scowled. "Yeah."
Ginny had broken it off with Dean over the summer, but apparently, he was still a little bitter about it.
"There are lots of nice-looking girls still available, thank you," Hermione snapped at them.
"Seamus is just upset that he can't go after Chang anymore," Dean snarked back.
Seamus made a face. "Suppose I could ask out Brocklehurst. She's cute."
Hermione shook her head. Harry had to stamp down the urge to point out how good looking Hermione was. He was committing himself to Lavender right now and wasn't upset with that decision.
"You are a pig, Seamus," Parvati snarked. "There are lots of us that are good looking."
"Like you?" Dean put to her.
"I like to think so. There is also Hermione, Meaghan from Hufflepuff, my sister, Lily Moon... I'll give you Brocklehurst," Parvati replied.
Discussion about who was available, who wasn't, and who was the best looking kept going round robin, mostly between those 'left out'. Lavender was following the conversation, but she was being quiet today. Or she was, until Parvati turned to her. "You have to agree, Lav. Robins is probably the best looking fifth year."
"Robins is a half-blood, Parv," Lavender pointed out.
"She didn't say she got a letter," Parvati replied.
Lavender was about to respond when the owls came in. Harry and her looked up and two tawny owls came towards them. Everyone at the table with them fell silent as the owls landed before them. It was obvious they were from the Ministry.
Harry took his and opened the letter.
-o-
Dear Regent Potter and Black,
Request for a compatibility test was received on September 2, 1997, between Ms. Lavender Cecelia Brown and Regent Harry James Potter. It is our pleasure to say that Ms. Brown and you are 100% magically compatible to produce magical offspring, 93% magically compatible to produce children of equal strength, and 27% magically compatible to produce children of greater magical strength, exceeding the minimum requirements. Your results from your personality tests show that you have a high probability of a long-term prospect at a stable and loving relationship.
With these results, the Proliferation board would approve any betrothal, marriage or elopement between you and Ms. Brown before December 10, 1997.
Congratulations, and we at the Proliferation Board look forward to seeing your request for any of the above.
As a reminder, should Ms. Brown become pregnant by you before December 10th, 1997, the board will consider this an elopement. A bonus schedule will be released in the forthcoming weeks for those that marry and conceive early.
Yours sincerely,
Head Roberta Parkinson
Magical Proliferation and Heir Department
Ministry of Magic, Level 4, London, England
-o-
Harry read the letter, feeling like he was a steer that had just been approved. Lavender giggled nervously at her letter. "Sounds so romantic, doesn't it?"
Harry laughed at that. She was good at making him laugh. "Very romantic. You want to go elope right now?" he teased.
She blushed a little, looking him up and down. "I'm not sure we are quite there yet."
He let out a rush of air.
"What do they say?" Hermione asked. He handed her the letter while Parvati took Lavender's.
"For Merlin's sake? This makes it sound like they want you to shag him right here," Parvati put to them.
"Doesn't it?" Hermione responded.
"I wouldn't say no," Seamus said with a sly grin.
Lavender bristled at him and threw a muffin at him. "Not even remotely going to happen," she snapped at Seamus.
"Hey, Seamus," Harry said and the boy turned to him with a huge smile. "You say something like that again about Lavender and we will have words."
Seamus winked and then his smile fell a little to see how intently Harry's green eyes were boring into him. "Ah, sure, Harry."
Everyone else around them gave Harry a look. He had never quite done anything like that before.
-oOo-
Hogwarts, Scotland
September 5, 1997
If anyone had told her she would be clinging to Harry Potter's arm just two months ago, she would have laughed in their faces. This was definitely not what she had pictured. On the other hand, he had proven to be much different than she had thought him to be. Being honest with herself, she was different too. Her mother and the laws had her looking at things far more seriously than she ever had. She also hadn't expected the jealous looks from quite a few girls.
It was part of the reason she had an arm around his and her hand on his bicep. He was not the scrawny boy that she had seen that first night at Hogwarts. His bicep was rock hard as he clenched his hand. He was not comfortable around people that paid him a lot of unwanted or hero-worship attention.
Just like any proud girlfriend, she wanted to brag to everyone. It wouldn't have mattered who it was, and she found she really didn't care about all the fame and titles he had... in the last few weeks she had been able to see the 'real' Harry Potter, and he was more dangerous, and sweeter, than any book or story.
She just wished they could get out of there. If she couldn't brag about him because it made him uncomfortable, then she wanted him to herself.
Instead, they both stood in a corner at the social that Professor Slughorn was hosting. Most of the students affected were here. Ron, Susan, Neville and Hannah stood with them while the others talked and mingled. There were very few 'couples' so far, and most of the younger kids just looked clueless on what to do.
She felt like she needed to help them. "Come with me," she told Harry. He put the butterbeer in his hand on a side table.
"What are we doing?" he asked.
"Playing a game," she told him. Many of the fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds were off to the side in an area with a bunch of couches.
"So, who here wants to play a game?" she announced.
The eight teens didn't look impressed.
"Alright. How about a dare then?" she proposed with an impish smile. Harry looked curiously at her and she winked. This seemed to catch the younger teens attentions.
"What kind of dare?" a boy asked.
She looked around quickly and found a table with a few hors d'oeuvres and some fixings. She grabbed a jar she knew to be fire peppers, and another known to be sweet pickled peppers. With the same impish grin, she put them on the table, took out her wand and transfigured the jars into a glass stand with a small tray in it. She muttered a few more spells then admired her work for a second. The two peppers were separated. The younger teens all looked interested now.
Harry's eyebrows had risen, and he looked mildly impressed with her. Inside she was beaming at him.
"So, here is the deal. It's like truth or dare. You admit something about yourself. If it is true, then you get a sweet pepper. If it's false, you get a hot pepper," she told them.
"Really? How did you do that?" one of the boys asked.
She shrugged. "Not all charms and divination are just how to predict someone's demise or levitate a feather," she said, her voice sounding playful.
"How do we know it works?" a girl questioned.
"You don't until you try it. Here, I'll go first," she told them. She made a small production as though she was thinking hard, putting a single finger to the side of her mouth. "I kissed Harry Potter... with tongue." She smirked. A few looked disgusted, three or four laughed or giggled. One girl gave her an interested eye then looked to Harry. Lavender had to suppress the jealousy that look brought up in her.
A green pickled sweet pepper dropped down. She shrugged. "Guess I'm telling the truth." She picked it up and threw it in her mouth.
"Oh, I'm trying next," a blonde girl said. "My real name is Esmerelda."
A second later, a red pepper dropped. She squeaked. "Oh, I just thought you were still kidding!"
"You have to eat now, Emmaline," the girl next to her said.
"Oh, no. No. I was just testing it," Emmaline said.
The other egged her on until she did, laughing at the face she made and how she dove for a butterbeer.
Lavender stood up and stepped back to Harry. "So, is that what you and Parvati have been up to all this time? If McGonagall and Flitwick knew you could do that, they would have been all over you to do better."
She gave a little giggle. "I like doing stuff like that. I hate class work. Besides, the ability to tell truth like that is a divination thing that Parvati and I learned when we started to do our own studying. It's a charm that some palmist and card readers use to determine if they are getting the right reaction."
He chuckled. "And all this time I thought divination to be a sham."
She giggled and hit his arm. "There is an art to actually doing divination, but sometimes it helps to know if you are getting the right reaction or not."
"So, all those times Trelawney predicted my death, she was just trying to see how I would take it?"
"Merlin, no. Professor Trelawney comes from a line of seers, but Parvati and I don't think she really knows what she is doing, so we started to do our own research," she told him earnestly.
Meanwhile, the teens were laughing as they tried not to expose anything too secret, but not really hide it either to prevent getting a hot pepper.
Harry moved to wrap his arms around her waist. She liked his warm body that close to her. She was about to say something when the rotund Potions Professor came to their side. "That was very clever, Ms. Brown. I was about to intervene myself. A ghastly thing, this law, but we are to make the best of it."
"I was just thinking what games we played fourth year," she told the professor.
"Either way, impressive. Also, impressive silent transfiguration and advanced charm work. Perhaps you will accompany Mr. Potter to a small party I am having next weekend? Say about eight?" Slughorn suggested.
She moved to look up to Harry, who frowned. "Perhaps, Professor. My boyfriend and I may be busy.
"The invitation is always open," he told them.
When the professor walked away, Harry put his mouth next to her ear. "You want to get out of here?"
There was a slight shiver down her spine at the breath across her skin. She had dated three others before now, and none of them made her feel like this. She wrapped her arms around his. "Are you thinking a broom closet?"
He chuckled. "Some kissing would be nice. I just want to get out of here."
"Sure," she said.
It was two floors up, and in an alcove behind a tapestry that she pulled him to her. His lips found hers and she found she was being just as aggressive as her tongue met his. After five or ten minutes, she found she was getting annoyed he was being so chivalrous and slowly encouraged his hands to explore as she let her own.
His chest, like the rest of him, was muscular. She pulled him in for a moment to feel his hardon press into her stomach. It made her flush. She was just about to move to his arse when his hands finally touched her tits. It wasn't long before she was moaning into his mouth. His hands were firm, yet unsure. He was being gentler than the two previous boys she had allowed to touch her. The way he worked his hands around had her hotter than she think she ever had been. It was soft, exploratory and... shy. She groaned into his mouth when he found her nipples
She was thinking how he had said he had never had a girlfriend before. She was starting to think he had never really snogged a girl either, even though his kisses were toe curling at times.
When she reached down and ran a hand over his pants and along his shaft, he just about jumped out of his skin. Pulling back, he was breathing just as hard as she was. Unsure of his reaction, she asked, "Do you not want me touching you?" Her two previous boyfriends had rather encouraged it.
He heaved in air for a few seconds. "I've never really been touched like that," he admitted with scarlet cheeks.
Instead of pressing what her hormones wanted, she put her hands on his hips and tried to pull him closer. "Do you want me to touch you?"
There was a myriad of emotions that flicked through his eyes before he finally moved closer again. "Can we just take it a little slower? Just for a bit?" he asked.
Lavender wanted to be touched and to touch now that he was her boyfriend. She wasn't always a patient person, but there was something about Harry that had her wanting more. "Sure. Can I still kiss you?"
His smirk made her swoon on the inside. "I like kissing," he told her.
She bit her lip for a second, moving her hands up to his shoulders and then wrapping her arms around so her hands held the back of his head. "Kissing is good. If you want to touch, I won't say no," she told him. "I just like to touch back."
His smirk turned mischievous. "I will just kiss for now, but if I start touching you again, I won't stop you."
"Fair enough," she said, pulling him in and claiming his mouth.
It was half-torture to press her body against his and only have his hands on her hips, but if slowing down a bit to have Harry like her was a small price to pay. If they were to be together, she would be able to touch him all she wanted soon.
When they finally made it back to the common room, she didn't even bother to make sure her clothes were straightened out or not. She needed others to know Harry and her were together.
-oOo-
At the party...
Ron was holding Susan's hand. The party was rather lame. It was nothing like the ones Gryffindor had after winning a Quidditch match. Neville and Hannah were talking with each other as Susan and him just looked out at the mingling people. "This is rather boring," Ron commented.
"It's like the ones my Auntie throws for people at the Ministry. At least Lavender and Harry got something fun going over there," she said, indicating the laughing fourth and fifth years.
"Do you really want to be here?"
"Not really," Hannah replied.
"How about we go take a walk? I can't wait until we can start going into Hogsmeade whenever we want," Ron added.
"Next weekend," said Susan.
"I want to go back to Lightwater Valley," Neville spoke up.
"That was fun, but it would be a little cold to go on the flume right now," Susan sounded disappointed as they made their way towards the door.
"I don't think we should come to any more of these," Hannah told them.
Neville rose his eyebrow. "Are you saying you don't want to see anyone else?"
Hannah eyed him. "I was thinking we were boyfriend and girlfriend?" she put to him.
Neville turned a nice shade of red as Susan put a hand into Ron's. "We are," Neville said.
"Good," Hannah replied, pulling Neville down to kiss his cheek.
"So, I've been thinking," Susan said to the group.
"That is dangerous, you know," Hannah quipped and Susan shot her a glare. Ron chuckled and stopped to see the look she gave him.
"Laugh it up," Susan said.
"What were you thinking, Susie?"
She looked a little uncertain. "Well, you know Harry and Lavender were tested..." she started.
Ron stopped for a moment. He liked Susan and the last few weeks had been good, but wasn't this too soon...?
Neville looked a little taken aback too. Hannah, on the other hand, looked a little thoughtful. "Are you thinking we see if we are compatible before we take these two off to snog them?" Hannah put to Susan.
"Mind as well," Susan replied as though it was totally logical.
Susan and Hannah laughed at the faces both Neville and him made. "Really?" Neville asked.
Ron recovered and nodded after a moment. It made sense. It was like chess. You sacrifice a pawn to get your goals, but if you can save them, you do. He just didn't want to sacrifice Susan. "Sure," he said after a moment. Neville met his eyes and after a moment nodded.
Susan took his hand, twining her fingers into his. "You sure?"
Both the girls looked a little more subdued when they realized Ron and Neville were being serious.
"I think you said we get a good snog afterwards," Ron said with a cheeky grin, internally hoping he hadn't said that the wrong way.
Susan's smile was large. "I promise a really good snog," she told him, dragging him towards the infirmary.
-oOo-
Same day...
Hogwarts, Scotland
Hermione was feeling a little lonely today. All her friends were off at the Social that Professor Slughorn had arranged. As she thought about it, she was surprised that everyone she considered a friend or acquaintance was affected.
The Muggleborn Hermione Granger, a person thought to be a blight on the wizarding world, was actually friends with those thought to be 'special' to those that had made up the laws and covenant. The laws and covenant she was researching in the Hogwarts library.
She found it a little ironic that all those she was closest with were affected.
Her mind was wondering when someone sat across from her. Looking up, she was surprised to see the dark skin of Dean Thomas. In five years, she hadn't really gotten to know him.
"What are you looking up," Dean asked.
"The Proliferation laws and covenant," she told him.
He nodded. "I had a feeling you would be doing that. Not sure I can be much of a help, but can I help?"
She blinked at him a time or two. "It's pretty dry."
Dean shrugged. "It's not like I have a ton to do right now."
Hermione looked at him for a long moment. "Dean, do you like Ginny?"
The boy gave an uncertain look. "She's pretty and a good kisser. I like flying with her. She has a sharp wit and likes to joke, but not play practical jokes like her brothers. I don't know if it's enough to marry her, though."
She nodded. She had been doing a lot of thinking about Harry in the last few weeks She loved him like a brother. Could have loved him like a lover... but as she thought about it, she was starting to think that Harry and her may not have worked out long term.
First, Harry was a very active person. He liked to move. He liked to play quidditch. He liked to run, workout and just... move. He never seemed to sit still for longer than twenty minutes.
Second, he was smart, but his brilliance came more in the practical. She was much happier with the theoretical.
Third, outside of all the adventures and just trying to survive the last few years, she was coming to realize that they didn't share a lot of the same interests. Where she would prefer to curl up with a nice book, Harry wanted to go outside.
Lavender had really shown her a lot of that.
Listening to Harry, and now Lavender, they had a lot of fun going out to the quidditch match, the amusement park, Bright Pier and other places. Lavender liked to move too. She wasn't a book worm, and, as flighty and girly as she could be at times, she was a more practical person, like Harry. Seeing them get along so well in the last month had opened her eyes to a whole different side of Harry that she wasn't sure anyone had seen.
Since the Ministry in June, he wasn't as high strung. She hadn't really seen his anger show or explode. In five days of being back, not once had he gotten into any conflict with a Slytherin or anyone.
As much as she was mourning something she wanted, she was also happy to see Harry happy.
"Yeah, I don't think I'm ready to be married yet either," she told him.
"I figured. Why are you looking into the laws then?" Dean enquired.
"I want to make sure that everyone affected doesn't have a choice in this, or if there were other clauses that could help them," she told him. A large part of it was she just wanted to know.
Dean nodded. "Where can I help you?"
"Why do you want to know?"
He took a book and opened the front cover. "Mum sent me a letter. The Proliferation board is expanding its search and trying to determine the heritage of every Half-blood. I want to know what happens if I do have to do this and if there are other options. Seamus is probably going to be in the same situation."
"Oh. I'm sorry," she said.
"Don't be. If it happens it happens. Personally, I feel a little guilty that so many others are stuck in this. If we could find a way to stop it, especially so our kids don't have to go through the same thing, then I say let's get this done," he told her.
She gave him a small smile. Gryffindors were known to just charge ahead. "That book should go with these notes. It covers the marriage laws from about 1700 to 1900," she told him.
He didn't look as enthused to go through something as dry as that, but he had a reason, and she would take the company.
They worked for the next two hours, until Dean's stomach grumbled. He shut the book and she took a slight break to lean back and stretch. "We should get some dinner," Dean told her.
"It's only four," she replied back. Dinner didn't start for another hour and a half.
He yawned before answering. "Professor McGonagall said we could all go into Hogsmeade every Saturday. You want to go get a kip at the Three Broomsticks? I could use to get out of the castle for a while. Maybe you could go over what else you found?"
Hermione was surprised. "You sure you want to go over all this?"
"Yeah, actually. I got to work with my mum at a law office over the summer. I actually found it pretty interesting. I figure that over the next few years, there might be a large need for more solicitors," he said.
Her eyebrow rose. "Really? I have been considering working for the Ministry on laws."
He piled some books up and gave her a stack of parchments. "Come on. Let's check some of these out. I'll buy you dinner and we can talk about it. I figure you are after creature rights. I remember your House Elf Liberation Front from fourth year."
She laughed. "S.P.E.W. The Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare," she corrected.
"Oh, yeah. Spew," he said with a cheeky grin.
"It is not spew," she said heatedly.
He chuckled. "How about dinner and you can correct that?"
She huffed, and then smiled. It was a delightful surprise to find that Dean wasn't just all about quidditch and girls. As they talked and went to dinner, she found he preferred football and rugby. He was also thinking about going to law school after his NEWTs. To do so, he was taking some remedial classes in Hogsmeade this year to maybe get his A-levels in two years. Something she had considered as well.
-oOo-
September 11, 1996
London, England
"The numbers are a mix. To date, three-thousand, eight-hundred and thirty-three have been identified and notifications sent. Over the next three years, an additional seventy-three will age into the law. There are forty-nine eligible in Azkaban," Head Roberta Parkinson was saying as she went over the numbers.
"The numbers are about two thousand lower than was originally expected. About two-hundred people have not reported for their registration at St. Mungo's, and of those, a hundred and fifteen have been identified as leaving the country. Forty-two of them were families with young children. I fear if we don't start to really enforce the clauses to include everyone on British soil at time of activation, those numbers will climb."
Amelia looked on blank faced as she absorbed the numbers. The Unspeakable she had grown to regard as Unspeakable Number 2, spoke up. "Head Parkinson, the Unspeakables have determined that the 'Home Soil' law is not enforceable per the original covenants. Until those identified enter into a betrothal or marriage recognized by the Proliferation Board, they are free to leave. Once all necessary children are birthed, they are then free to leave as well. If you try to enforce anything else you will risk those that enforce it, not those that run."
"I will not keep anyone here that does not want to be," Amelia confirmed. "How many have either married or signed contracts?"
Parkinson took out a few sheets from a folder. "Forty-eight new married couples since August first. Thirty-eight new betrothals and one-hundred and seventy-four have been confirmed compatible. Again, these are very low numbers if we are going to have everyone married by next Christmas."
"I find them right on track," Unspeakable number four stated. "Most are still coming to terms with the new laws. You still have about a thousand that need to be registered and that will be done by the end of the month. Almost two thirds of your eligible pool is already married, meaning they will just get 'busy' when they want. None of them are required to be pregnant until the end of next year. On the whole, we are on track."
Unspeakable number four spoke up. "Head Parkinson has neglected to say that two-hundred and four test have been administered. Thirty tests have shown a poor match. A fifteen-percent failure rate is higher than we expected."
"What of the rumors of those that won't follow the covenant" Lord Doyle asked. He looked worried. Earlier he had asked if Susan was having any troubles with the law. Apparently his youngest was refusing to follow it, but she wouldn't have to be paired until the next cycle, next year.
"The first enforcements will only happen if they do not meet the requirements after the first of the year," Parkinson said, obviously not pleased with that.
"Has it been confirmed that we are allowed to hand out warning for the first three months?" Amelia asked her Head of the DMLE.
"Yes. After April first, anyone that refuses to participate will be required to be taken in. It will then be presented that they either leave, agree to be 'encouraged' to do their duty, or find a suitable mate and marry by Christmas," Head Rogers of the DMLE replied. He was proving to be far more capable than the one she had just a few weeks ago.
She pursed her lips. She really hated what they were forcing many to do. She knew the 'encouragement' meant potions, compulsions or the covenant itself pushing its will like a jinx. "I want solutions, so we don't get to that point."
"It is possible that if we have certified traces of blood, that people don't have to get married," Unspeakable number one put in.
"So, you would just have the woman be impregnated, with no support when the child comes?" Augusta said with a little heat.
"If they don't want to get married, I don't see the issue. It is incumbent on the male to sire three children with a suitable woman. It does not state that it has to be the same woman to birth all his children. The exception is any woman who is the last of her line. She must birth an heir for her line and one for the sire, unless a lesser son takes on her name," Lord Westford stated.
As they learned more about the covenants, the more she hated them. It made her worry for her Susan.
"So, we just set up whore houses and just have a man plant their seed?" Augusta spat back.
"No one is saying that," Amelia tried to soothe the fraying nerves in the room. "I also don't want to shut down any options. My Unspeakables, is it possible that we can work out contracts for anyone that does not wish to be married? If they wish for other options, I would think that should be between them."
"I do not see the issue. We can work out what is required to meet the covenants and present it next week," Unspeakable number one promised.
"Thank you. Augusta, I am not saying I agree with this, but would you rather people be forced or have a chance to meet the law while still living the way they want?" Amelia put to her old friend.
Augusta didn't look pleased. "I will not just stag or whore out people to meet the requirements."
"You don't have too, but if others choose to do so themselves, who are we to block them?" Parkinson enquired. Amelia was a little surprised the woman agreed with her.
"Unless there are other options or ideas, I want to hear what is going on at Hogwarts," Amelia told them. When no one else spoke up, she motioned towards Minerva and Poppy.
"Thank you, Amelia. With the sixty percent of the funds received that were requested, the goblins have pushed their schedule up to be completed about Halloween. They have had to do some significant changes to accommodate some expansion charms, updates to the wards, new plumbing and other matters that haven't been changed since the last major construction on the castle in the seventeen-hundreds. We will be ready to host up to fifty couples in small, two-bedroom apartments. Plans for either redoing the upper dungeons or adding a new wing will start in the spring, and we plan to present plans to the Proliferation board and the Wizengamot by next fall," Minerva stated.
"How are most of the students taking this," Amelia queried. Susan seemed to be alright so far, though she had been surprised to see the letter from the Proliferation Board saying her and Ronald Weasley would be compatible if they wanted. Very compatible it seemed.
Minerva looked a little tired. "The younger students aren't taking it as well. They are scared and unsure. Some still think they will be paired this year, even though we have been assuring them they have to be sixteen by December twentieth."
"A few fights have broken out. One student was put on in-house suspension this week for trying to use love potions. They were not successful, so the DMLE is not pressing any charges. We are doing all we can to support them, but this is putting a large amount of stress on many and we have already seen some falling of attentions or schoolwork standards across the board. It is also starting to percolate all the way to the first years. None of them should be concerned with who they will marry at eleven years old. The staff and I are doing what we can to even this out and reduce stress," she told them.
Many around the table looked a little bothered by this.
"What can we do to lessen the anxiety? Like I said, my youngest is not taking this well," Lord Doyle told them.
"Find a way to break this covenant," Poppy spoke up. "I am used to taking care of some students with homesickness and some general maladies within the first two weeks. I am already treating some for anxiety and fatigue like it was close to OWL or NEWT testing. Many are more worried about who they will paired with and what it will mean to be married and trying to finish school, than they are focusing on school. Those that want a choice are rushing relationships or spending a good amount of time trying to find someone."
"That was not the intention of this covenant," Parkinson said, sounding a little concerned for once.
"Well, it is the effect we are seeing. If all this could be pushed until after the student graduates then I think it will be better for them," Minerva started.
"Unfortunately, we can't. When the covenant was cast in fourteen-forty-eight, times were different and witches and wizards were considered of age once they passed their journeyman test, after their fifth year of study. We have been able to stretch that to when they are of-age now. The Wizengamot could change the laws to when a witch or wizard would be considered of-age, but that could have other issues with our society," Unspeakable number three said.
Unspeakable number one added. "There is some debate over when the journeyman test was. Many didn't start Hogwarts or formal apprenticeships until they were thirteen or fourteen."
"That was how we came to the conclusion of seventeen. You know the Head Unspeakable does not want to risk anyone by expanding that age further," Unspeakable number two spoke up.
She pursed her lips. "Are you saying that we could push the requirement to eighteen or nineteen?"
"Possibly. The issue is the OWLs are the same level at a journeyman certification. That is why anyone fifteen or anyone to get their OWLs qualify," Unspeakable number three stated.
Many around the table looked concerned.
"Please add this debate to your report. We can't change it right now. I want to get all the resources needed to Hogwarts to lessen the issues there," Amelia stated. "Poppy, how many are rushing things or have registered as betrothed?"
"Two at the start of the year, one since it has started, and we have administered eighteen compatibility tests so far. Six of those tests failed," Poppy told them.
"And you are expecting about forty couples by next Christmas?" Augusta questioned.
"Assuming they are all Hogwarts students and none of them withdraw," Minerva told them.
"How many are eligible?" Unspeakable number one asked.
"Seventy-eight will be eligible for the pairing in December. Another twenty-five for next Christmas and about the same the year after," Minerva told them. "I think there may be some of those that will be fifteen that will not wait for next year to be coupled. I have even been approached by one fourteen-year-old couple, but they would need permission by their parents."
So young. They were all too young to be this involved. The covenant required any marriage to be consummated within a week and for a pregnancy to be confirmed within eighteen months of the consummation. It was possible some of the couples could only be fifteen when they first become pregnant. Possibly younger now. Even seventeen or eighteen was young to be a parent.
"Do what we can to help them," she told Minerva. The older Scots woman nodded.
"I guess the last thing is how do all the finances look? Are we able to offer some assistance?" Amelia turned to Head Williams.
The woman flicked her wand and a few sheets levitated to everyone at the table. "With the estate revenue now estimated and when it will be available, the Ministry will have four-million-three-hundred thousand available through the end of the year. Next year it is estimated to have about eight million in estate and only nine-hundred and forty thousand in tax income. Maybe another two million in estate taxes the year after and about the same in normal taxes. We are still operating at about one-point-eight million per year, plus the other three million in approved programs and construction under Fudge. If taxes are not increased, or something else done, the Ministry will be insolvent in about five years. There is no money to offer incentives without risking a large financial issue in less than five years."
Amelia didn't like it but seeing this covenant work and increasing taxes was going to be a large issue.
"What ideas have come from the Muggle Liaison Office to increase the retention of Muggleborn and Half-bloods?"
"Many ideas. Some of the most popular are to abolish about half the laws we have on the books. Mix a Muggle and magical education. Offer more jobs. Many things this board has talked about in the last month," Lady Quince said.
She nodded. "Carlson and Augusta, I need you to take any of those suggestions and push your blocks to start any reforms we can. I don't care if it alienates many existing traditions. We can't afford to lose anymore if we can prevent it."
Carlson nodded, not looking that please. Augusta looked ready to split heads to get whatever done she needed too.
"Any other business today?" Amelia asked around. When nothing meaningful came up, she called the meeting.
Minerva and Poppy came over after talking with Augusta. "How is Susan doing?" Amelia was very curious.
"She and a few of the friends around her are some of the best adjusted to this change so far and are helping others," Minerva told her.
She nodded, giving a small smile. "Good. I always thought she could be a good leader."
Poppy nodded. "Susan has been dating Ronald Weasley and they have been around Harry Potter. Having him trying to make this work is keeping many in a much calmer state than I would expect."
"I'm glad to hear that. What can I do to help you?"
"Funds. I know the Ministry is strapped right now, but I need to do some other upgrades around the castle and grounds, hire five more teachers for next year, hopefully sooner to get more Muggle studies and a day-care up and running. We have two couples that will be married by Christmas and one of them is already seeking counseling on childcare."
Amelia sighed at Minerva's request. "I take it that funds are more stressed than you thought they would be?"
"We had twenty-four students not come back. Only four of the fifteen families that usually give an endowment every year are still in a position to do so. I have enough for the next year or two, but after that, we will have to look at a thirty percent or more increase in tuition and eliminate the tuition fund for those that have problems affording it," Minerva told her.
"I will see what I can do."
"Thank you, Amelia. The more concerning issue is what happens in about twelve years from now. If the projections from the Unspeakables are correct, we will expect almost sixteen-hundred students from the law, on top of the normal population. Hogwarts is not big enough to house that many, especially once they are matched."
Amelia sighed. "One battle at a time, Minerva. Let's get through this first round and then determine what we need to do."
"I do not want this forgotten. It could take the goblins a year or two, maybe even three, if we need to expand the castle. Plans need to be in effect within the next few years. To house upwards of two hundred or more couples a year could require a new wing half-the-size of our current castle," Minerva told her.
Amelia shook her head. That was on a scale she had not thought about. "I will ensure to bring it up as a topic to start discussing next month."
"Thank you, Amelia," Minerva said with a nod of her head.
"And you, Poppy?" Amelia questioned.
"Healer Tonks is due next week. Once she is there, I will have all the staff I need for now. We will need more potion for the compatibility tests, or ingredients," Poppy replied. "We are also going to start running child raising courses for all newly married couples."
"Anything else?"
"Get rid of this covenant," Poppy demanded.
"I will talk with the Unspeakables and the Wizengamot to get you everything you need. Thank you, ladies," Amelia assured them.
-oOo-
A/N: WARNING: This is a rant. Read if you want, skip if you don't.
Ok, heights, because someone tries to keep commenting on it. This is my viewpoint. It's non-Canon, if that is not clear, though all we know is that Harry was like James, James was tall, but that could be relative to your point of view. Someone may think 5' 9" is tall, another 6' 2".
I assume mostly cannon until the start of this story. I have not addressed the horcruxes yet, and probably will later.
At the start of this story, Harry's height is around 5' 7". Given the years of malnutrition, the fact that cannon didn't really do much to try and fix that, and then at sixteen most boys still grow another inch or two, I figure he will stop about 5' 9", not the more than 6' that some seem to like. Ron is at close to 6'. He is tall because he never lacked for nutrition and many of his brothers are. Same with Neville. I see him about 5' 10". Both will grow another 1" or 2".
Some may argue that Harry should be shorter due to the malnutrition, I am going to give magic a little leeway here.
Lavender is about 5' 6", and I do not see her growing much more. By about sixteen, most girls are done. Hermione is about the same height. Susan is closer to 5' 9". Hannah is about 5' 7". Ginny, I see as a small thing, maybe 5' 2", with another inch or so to go since she is just about 15 in chapter 1.
I am not changing my opinion, so please stop commenting.