Oops - apologies for the partial posting. This should be correct now. K
Disclaimer - see part 1.
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Wizards Honour
Part 10
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"Sinistra is a quitter! Sinistra is a quitter!" Peeves chortled and stuck him tongue out at the flustered Astronomy Professor who was scampering down a staircase.
"Go away, Peeves. I'm not in the mood for this and I'm late for dinner." Sinistra glared at the poltergeist; Peeves was the last in a long line of disasters in a terrible day she'd rather forget.
"Sinistra is a coward!" chanted the annoying little being. "Sinistra's got a man and won't keep him! Is slimy old Snakey not good enough for you?"
"That does it! I am not a quitter or a coward!" The Astronomy Professor fired a dissolution spell up the staircase. The spell barely missed the poltergeist and hit a vase of flowers, which dissolved into dust. Peeves screeched and fled through the floor of the landing and through the wall beneath.
From his vantage point three floors above, the Bloody Baron watched the Astronomy Professor continue on her way, muttering under her breath. The Baron suspected he had made Peeves push Sinistra a little too far. The dissolution spell was a powerful attack on a poltergeist and could have reduced Peeves to a mere ghoul. The Baron was surprised by the strength of her attack. He had rarely seen so powerful an anti-spirit spell used in the corridors at Hogwarts and certainly not by one of the staff.
The Baron stroked his ghostly chin with a bloodstained hand and smiled. The spell had missed and perhaps he had found a gap in the young woman's armour. He needed to find a way to push her even after Dumbledore told the Slytherin teachers what he, the Baron, was up to.
~~~~~~~~
By the time Sinistra reached the Great Hall she was in an even fouler mood. Peeves had reminded her of the incident in the Teacher's Meeting Room and how Snape considered her unworthy of him. The pain of Snape's insults had merged with the anger and humiliation of the day and the Astronomy Teacher was close to throwing an industrial-sized tantrum.
"Not that I want to marry the arrogant, snobby, annoying, uptight, cold, bossy, manipulative git anyway!" Aurora snarled as she neared the entry to the Great Hall. She stomped the length of the Great Hall to the Staff Table, scowling at anyone who spoke to her, and dropped onto her chair
Professor Snape, who had saved a place for Sinistra beside him for the discussion they'd agreed to have, decided that it was not a good time to discuss the Teacher's betting club or anything else for that matter.
~~~~~~~~
Work and excellent Astronomical viewing weather conspired against Snape and Sinistra. They still had not discussed their situation when, three days before Christmas, the goalposts were moved.
Again the news came in 'The Daily Prophet' but this time it was Sinistra who found it in the Public Notices section.
~~ Public Announcement from the Ministry of Magic. Use of the Wizards Honour Law of 857 AD, amended.
Recent use of the Wizards (sic) Honour Law has shown that some members of the General Wizarding Community (WGC) may have a misunderstanding use of the said law. The WGC appears to believe that a declaration of Wizards Honour constitutes a marriage. This is not true. ~~
"Yes!" Sinistra hissed. She glanced quickly around the staff breakfast table to check if anyone had heard her, before she returned to her reading.
~~ The Wizards Honour Law was amended in 1923, in recognition of the Wizard-Muggle Marriage Laws and the Witches Equal Rights Act of 1864. The amendment means that a declaration of Wizards Honour is no longer an instant marriage but is now seen as a betrothal contract. Under the revised law anyone declaring Wizards Honour can only become married in the following ways:
1. The parties marry in the conventional Wizarding or Muggle fashion;
2. During the three month contract 'cooling off' period both parties sign an agreement to the marriage (MoM form 4593) and submit it to the Ministry;
3. At the end of the cooling off period the parties declare in a public place that they are married willingly and sign a declaration to that effect (also MoM form 4593) in front of an appropriate official of the WGC. In this case both parties must be seen to be free of the Imperious Curse and no replications or substitutes (eg. Polyjuice potion users, Golems, etc) are allowable. ~~
"As if I'm likely to do that," Sinistra muttered into her breakfast cup of triple strength espresso coffee.
"Pardon?" Professor Flitwick asked cheerfully. The Charms Professor was almost always cheerful at breakfast and especially so this close to Christmas.
"Nothing important, Professor," Sinistra replied. She found herself stuck in conversation with the little Professor and breakfast was finishing before she could get back to reading the 'Daily Prophet'.
~~ Contrary to popular belief, cancelling of a Wizards Honour Contract is a simple process. Both parties must complete and sign a 'Revocation of Wizard Contract Agreement (MoM form 4596) within six months of the activation of the contract. This form can not be signed after any of the three marriage processes listed above occur. ~~
"Aurora, my girl, your backside is out of the fire." Sinistra grinned and read the rest of the announcement, which included the name of Ministry Official to contact for the forms.
"I take back every bad thought I've ever had about the Ministry," Sinistra said happily as she gave the very surprised Professor Flitwick a quick hug.
"Oh, whatever you say my girl." Flitwick sat stunned for a moment. A worrying thought popped into the little Professor's mind and he hurriedly looked around the room for the Potions Master. Snape was nowhere in sight and Flitwick, relieved that he wasn't going to be hexed, heaved a huge sigh of relief.
~~~~~~~~
"It's traditional," Professor Sinistra thought, two hours later, while she walked swiftly down the stairs to the dungeons. "You have to be there. Just stay calm and smile until you can talk to him about the contract."
"Professor." Snape was standing by the entry to the Slytherin common room. He greeted her with a cool nod. Sinistra tried to nod back equally as coldly and failed.
"We're free!" she whispered to him and waved the news-scroll under his nose. Snape squinted at the parchment that was nearly hitting him on the nose. He took the parchment from Aurora and quickly read the cancellation paragraph she had circled.
"Nice Christmas present, huh?" Sinistra grinned.
"Promising." Snape replied, "But it is inappropriate to discuss it at this time." Sternly, he waved her into the common room. Sinistra clicked back into 'well-behaved junior Professor' mode and did as she was bid.
Snape scanned the room with his eagle-like stare. The room was full of all the Slytherin students who stared back at him. Only a few students, the ones who had lost points for the House during the last few months, glanced away as he looked at them.
"So far this school year Slytherin House has won and lost many points." Snape glanced at the first year students who had lost the house 100 points a week earlier by damaging one of the greenhouses with an exploding flowerpot. The culprits paled under the Housemaster's stare and shuddered when their fellow students scowled at them.
"I expect that you will gain more points for Slytherin when you return from the Christmas break," Snape continued in his quiet cold voice, "and you will do your utmost not to lose any."
"Yes, Professor," the students chorused. Sinistra knew their good behaviour would not last to the next day but she couldn't fault the students for that. Most Hogwarts' students were mischievous and Slytherin teenagers were doubly so.
One of the Prefects led the students in a House cheer. "Slytherin, Slytherin, we are the best! Slytherin, Slytherin, we flatten the rest!"
Snape smirked at the cheers then clapped his hands. Plates full of warm fruit-mince pies and mugs of mulled Butterbeer appeared on the table that sat in the middle of the room.
The students cheered again and Draco Malfoy added, "Three cheers for the Professors." Both Professors were a little embarrassed but accepted the cheers willingly.
At a sign from Snape, the students attacked their special pre-Christmas treat. Snape and Sinistra watched them munching the pies for a few minutes.
Snape led Sinistra into a corner of the room where they could talk freely. He was just about to ask her about the Ministry of Magic notice when he heard a sound from above him. Something was counting loudly.
"10."
"9."
Sinistra looked up and said, "Oh damn!"
"8."
"Ooooh, you haven't got long Professors," chortled Pansy Parkinson.
"7."
Snape stared up and snarled at the counting bundle. "I am not doing it," he thought angrily.
"6."
"No," Sinistra thought. "I've just worked out how to get rid of him. I'm Not Going To Do This."
"5."
"Better hurry up, Professors." Draco Malfoy added. "You don't want slime all over you."
"4."
"Who ever put Enchanted Exploding Flying Mistletoe in here will be on a week's detention." Snape said loudly. The students all stared innocently back at him.
"3."
"Oh darn it," thought Sinistra. "Well, I'm just going to have to get slimed. I refuse to kiss him."
"2."
"These are my best robes," muttered Snape.
"1."
Snape grabbed Sinistra and kissed her firmly on the lips. The Slytherin Common Room exploded in cheers as the Enchanted Exploding Flying Mistletoe exploded streamers around the room.
"Oh dear, it seems someone brought the wrong type." Draco drawled. "It certainly looked like a slime one."
To be continued
Disclaimer - see part 1.
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Wizards Honour
Part 10
--------------------------------
"Sinistra is a quitter! Sinistra is a quitter!" Peeves chortled and stuck him tongue out at the flustered Astronomy Professor who was scampering down a staircase.
"Go away, Peeves. I'm not in the mood for this and I'm late for dinner." Sinistra glared at the poltergeist; Peeves was the last in a long line of disasters in a terrible day she'd rather forget.
"Sinistra is a coward!" chanted the annoying little being. "Sinistra's got a man and won't keep him! Is slimy old Snakey not good enough for you?"
"That does it! I am not a quitter or a coward!" The Astronomy Professor fired a dissolution spell up the staircase. The spell barely missed the poltergeist and hit a vase of flowers, which dissolved into dust. Peeves screeched and fled through the floor of the landing and through the wall beneath.
From his vantage point three floors above, the Bloody Baron watched the Astronomy Professor continue on her way, muttering under her breath. The Baron suspected he had made Peeves push Sinistra a little too far. The dissolution spell was a powerful attack on a poltergeist and could have reduced Peeves to a mere ghoul. The Baron was surprised by the strength of her attack. He had rarely seen so powerful an anti-spirit spell used in the corridors at Hogwarts and certainly not by one of the staff.
The Baron stroked his ghostly chin with a bloodstained hand and smiled. The spell had missed and perhaps he had found a gap in the young woman's armour. He needed to find a way to push her even after Dumbledore told the Slytherin teachers what he, the Baron, was up to.
~~~~~~~~
By the time Sinistra reached the Great Hall she was in an even fouler mood. Peeves had reminded her of the incident in the Teacher's Meeting Room and how Snape considered her unworthy of him. The pain of Snape's insults had merged with the anger and humiliation of the day and the Astronomy Teacher was close to throwing an industrial-sized tantrum.
"Not that I want to marry the arrogant, snobby, annoying, uptight, cold, bossy, manipulative git anyway!" Aurora snarled as she neared the entry to the Great Hall. She stomped the length of the Great Hall to the Staff Table, scowling at anyone who spoke to her, and dropped onto her chair
Professor Snape, who had saved a place for Sinistra beside him for the discussion they'd agreed to have, decided that it was not a good time to discuss the Teacher's betting club or anything else for that matter.
~~~~~~~~
Work and excellent Astronomical viewing weather conspired against Snape and Sinistra. They still had not discussed their situation when, three days before Christmas, the goalposts were moved.
Again the news came in 'The Daily Prophet' but this time it was Sinistra who found it in the Public Notices section.
~~ Public Announcement from the Ministry of Magic. Use of the Wizards Honour Law of 857 AD, amended.
Recent use of the Wizards (sic) Honour Law has shown that some members of the General Wizarding Community (WGC) may have a misunderstanding use of the said law. The WGC appears to believe that a declaration of Wizards Honour constitutes a marriage. This is not true. ~~
"Yes!" Sinistra hissed. She glanced quickly around the staff breakfast table to check if anyone had heard her, before she returned to her reading.
~~ The Wizards Honour Law was amended in 1923, in recognition of the Wizard-Muggle Marriage Laws and the Witches Equal Rights Act of 1864. The amendment means that a declaration of Wizards Honour is no longer an instant marriage but is now seen as a betrothal contract. Under the revised law anyone declaring Wizards Honour can only become married in the following ways:
1. The parties marry in the conventional Wizarding or Muggle fashion;
2. During the three month contract 'cooling off' period both parties sign an agreement to the marriage (MoM form 4593) and submit it to the Ministry;
3. At the end of the cooling off period the parties declare in a public place that they are married willingly and sign a declaration to that effect (also MoM form 4593) in front of an appropriate official of the WGC. In this case both parties must be seen to be free of the Imperious Curse and no replications or substitutes (eg. Polyjuice potion users, Golems, etc) are allowable. ~~
"As if I'm likely to do that," Sinistra muttered into her breakfast cup of triple strength espresso coffee.
"Pardon?" Professor Flitwick asked cheerfully. The Charms Professor was almost always cheerful at breakfast and especially so this close to Christmas.
"Nothing important, Professor," Sinistra replied. She found herself stuck in conversation with the little Professor and breakfast was finishing before she could get back to reading the 'Daily Prophet'.
~~ Contrary to popular belief, cancelling of a Wizards Honour Contract is a simple process. Both parties must complete and sign a 'Revocation of Wizard Contract Agreement (MoM form 4596) within six months of the activation of the contract. This form can not be signed after any of the three marriage processes listed above occur. ~~
"Aurora, my girl, your backside is out of the fire." Sinistra grinned and read the rest of the announcement, which included the name of Ministry Official to contact for the forms.
"I take back every bad thought I've ever had about the Ministry," Sinistra said happily as she gave the very surprised Professor Flitwick a quick hug.
"Oh, whatever you say my girl." Flitwick sat stunned for a moment. A worrying thought popped into the little Professor's mind and he hurriedly looked around the room for the Potions Master. Snape was nowhere in sight and Flitwick, relieved that he wasn't going to be hexed, heaved a huge sigh of relief.
~~~~~~~~
"It's traditional," Professor Sinistra thought, two hours later, while she walked swiftly down the stairs to the dungeons. "You have to be there. Just stay calm and smile until you can talk to him about the contract."
"Professor." Snape was standing by the entry to the Slytherin common room. He greeted her with a cool nod. Sinistra tried to nod back equally as coldly and failed.
"We're free!" she whispered to him and waved the news-scroll under his nose. Snape squinted at the parchment that was nearly hitting him on the nose. He took the parchment from Aurora and quickly read the cancellation paragraph she had circled.
"Nice Christmas present, huh?" Sinistra grinned.
"Promising." Snape replied, "But it is inappropriate to discuss it at this time." Sternly, he waved her into the common room. Sinistra clicked back into 'well-behaved junior Professor' mode and did as she was bid.
Snape scanned the room with his eagle-like stare. The room was full of all the Slytherin students who stared back at him. Only a few students, the ones who had lost points for the House during the last few months, glanced away as he looked at them.
"So far this school year Slytherin House has won and lost many points." Snape glanced at the first year students who had lost the house 100 points a week earlier by damaging one of the greenhouses with an exploding flowerpot. The culprits paled under the Housemaster's stare and shuddered when their fellow students scowled at them.
"I expect that you will gain more points for Slytherin when you return from the Christmas break," Snape continued in his quiet cold voice, "and you will do your utmost not to lose any."
"Yes, Professor," the students chorused. Sinistra knew their good behaviour would not last to the next day but she couldn't fault the students for that. Most Hogwarts' students were mischievous and Slytherin teenagers were doubly so.
One of the Prefects led the students in a House cheer. "Slytherin, Slytherin, we are the best! Slytherin, Slytherin, we flatten the rest!"
Snape smirked at the cheers then clapped his hands. Plates full of warm fruit-mince pies and mugs of mulled Butterbeer appeared on the table that sat in the middle of the room.
The students cheered again and Draco Malfoy added, "Three cheers for the Professors." Both Professors were a little embarrassed but accepted the cheers willingly.
At a sign from Snape, the students attacked their special pre-Christmas treat. Snape and Sinistra watched them munching the pies for a few minutes.
Snape led Sinistra into a corner of the room where they could talk freely. He was just about to ask her about the Ministry of Magic notice when he heard a sound from above him. Something was counting loudly.
"10."
"9."
Sinistra looked up and said, "Oh damn!"
"8."
"Ooooh, you haven't got long Professors," chortled Pansy Parkinson.
"7."
Snape stared up and snarled at the counting bundle. "I am not doing it," he thought angrily.
"6."
"No," Sinistra thought. "I've just worked out how to get rid of him. I'm Not Going To Do This."
"5."
"Better hurry up, Professors." Draco Malfoy added. "You don't want slime all over you."
"4."
"Who ever put Enchanted Exploding Flying Mistletoe in here will be on a week's detention." Snape said loudly. The students all stared innocently back at him.
"3."
"Oh darn it," thought Sinistra. "Well, I'm just going to have to get slimed. I refuse to kiss him."
"2."
"These are my best robes," muttered Snape.
"1."
Snape grabbed Sinistra and kissed her firmly on the lips. The Slytherin Common Room exploded in cheers as the Enchanted Exploding Flying Mistletoe exploded streamers around the room.
"Oh dear, it seems someone brought the wrong type." Draco drawled. "It certainly looked like a slime one."
To be continued