--The Bachelor's Curse--
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Chapter II
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July 29th : Hogwart's School
"Albus!" McGonagall hurried into the headmaster's office, Prophet in hand, "Have you read today's paper?!"Dumbledore calmly peered over his half moon glasses, "Yes Minerva, I have." Then raising his right hand, he gestured to a marriage contract lying on his desk. A small baby Fawlks perched next to the large regal document, a dipped quill pen in his beak. "I was hopping that you would do me the honor of renewing our vows."
McGonagall flushed, "Of course Albus!" And quickly signed her name, which magically flamed red against the ivory vellum, "But what about Flitwick, Hagrid, Binns, Severus! Oh dear, it's so upsetting." Minerva fanned herself with the newspaper, and took a set in an overstuffed leather parlor chair.
"I don't think we'll have to worry about Binns, but as for the others, I want you and Poppy to make a list of all the unmarried male teachers and available female teachers. I think we'll be able to find enough female volunteers so that none of our bachelors will be in any danger."
"Yes, alright," she nodded still visibly upset, "Do you have any idea who's set this curse into play? I had assumed that after we had killed Voldemort we wouldn't have to deal with anymore of these horrendous ancient spells."
Dumbledore knotted his hands together, "Alas, I too, believed so Minerva, but unfortunately we're still not sure if he is really dead or if his spirit; his essence is still emanating power somewhere out there in our very own forests."
McGonagall sadly nodded in agreement. This was a discussion that they had had several times before.
"Make the list Minerva, you'll feel more hopeful once you've found all our single gentleman teachers willing wives. And I am going to call an Order meeting tomorrow night and make sure all of our soldiers are protected as well."
Standing, brows knotted, "You're right Albus, I will feel better once I'm working. Poppy and I shall give you a full report at dinner."
"And Mrs. Dumbledore," Albus said holding up the legal parchment and smiling, "Thank you, again."
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St. Mungo's
He was having another one of his tantrums and Miriam Strout, Healer- in- Charge of the Janis Thickey ward, fourth floor of St. Mungo's, was in a panic to locate the only woman who could quiet his screams of anguish, Healer-in- Training, Luna Lovegood. Luna possessed excellent academic knowledge for the treatment of magical flues, potion poisonous and even her handling of creature bites was extraordinary for a first year resident; however, her true gift was the treatment and care that she gave her patients. Although Healer Strout thought her assistant could be a bit eccentric at times (especially when discussing her father's obsession for the Crumpled Horned-Snorkack), the young woman possessed an enchanted touch with those in pain and when not at work, it was rumored that Ms. Lovegood was extremely dedicate to her elderly father's care."Luna, there you are!" The chubby Healer paused to catch her breath.
"Just catching up on the good stuff," Luna smiled and lifted up her father's Quibbler .
"You've got no time for that, Lockheart is having another one of his fits. It's bad this time."
"Oh my!" Luna jumped up, shoving the Quibbler into her robe pocket, "I'm on my way."
Rushing down the ward, she finally came to room 137 B.
"Gil? You in there," She called out, peeking her blonde head in the door of the room.
A faint sob answered her call. Curled up in the corner of the room, a very handsome man with messy golden hair was crying. Slowly, Luna crossed the room, and laid a hand on his shoulder.
Kneeling close, her voice lowered, "Another bad day?"
The man nodded.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
He nodded again.
"Well it's going to be very hard for you to do that if you're down there in the floor. Come, let's sit on the bed. I'll have Miss Burta bring us some pumpkin juice." Luna stood and walked over to the bed and in another minute, Lockheart, dressed in grey flannel pajamas joined her.
Wiping the tears from his blue eyes, he smiled up at her, "Thank you for coming Luna. It's been a very bad day."
"Did your therapist, Mr. Johnson, bring the remember-all today?"
"Yes", he answered quietly and looked shyly away.
"And what did you remember?"
His usually handsome face looked sad, "I remembered that I was not a very good man. I told a lot of lies."
"Yes, you did." Luna answered.
Just at that moment, Miriam Stout ran into the room, a copy of the Daily Prophet in hand, her eyes wide, "I need to see you, now!"
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The Burrow
Ginny and Harry were both seated at the Weasley kitchen table entrenched in study, or at least trying to be. Ginny was taking a writing course at Oxford over the summer, her book, How to Write an Editorial as well as her writing materials were spread out on one end of the family table. Harry, who was studying a large book on Bulgarian Vampires for this second year of auror training, had his quill and parchment spread out on the other end.Everything was going smoothly until an unfamiliar owl dropped a pink envelop onto Harry's head.
"Hey there! Watch it!" Harry called after the bird.
Ginny just raised a curious brow. As soon as Harry cracked the seal, twinkling pink hearts burst forth into the kitchen. This time, Ginny laughed, then returned herself back to her textbook, "A bit early for love letters isn't it?"
Harry just grunted and threw the letter into the dust bin. They spent another half hour in quiet study, but peace was not to be had for long. Suddenly, almost on the hour, all sorts of owls, sparrows, and even a pink flamingo were dropping red and pink envelopes onto the Weasley kitchen table, all address to Harry Potter, The Boy that Lived.
"Bloody hell!" Harry cursed, pushing the letters aside, trying to locate his book beneath the feminine envelopes.
Ginny could no longer contain her curiosity. Picking up a pink and white letter, she cracked the seal.
"Dear Harry, I have heard horrible Bachelor's Curse and know that your precious life is in danger. I am only sixteen, but I am willing to lay down my happy, carefree youth to become your wife in all ways."
Ginny was dumbstruck, "Harry? Are all these letters marriage proposals?"
He glared at her. Then flipping his chair out from the table, he stormed out the front door. Ginny sighed, and then taking a large plastic garbage bag from the dust bin, she began scooping up all the letters and piling them into the trash, which she then levitated to the larger muggle trash disposal bin behind the burrow. She thought about apparting them away, but if he did change his mind about reading them, well, then she'd be in fix.
Walking barefoot from the back of the house and down to the pond behind the garden, she had a good idea where Harry had huffed off to. He'd been doing it a lot lately since Voldemort had officially been declared dead by the Ministry. His moods were as volatile as the English weather.
"You can come back to the table. I bagged up all the letters and put them out at the trash bins."
Harry looked up to see Ginny Weasley, standing not three feet from him at the secluded little pond. "Thanks", he mumbled and tossed another stone into the dark pool.
"You know Harry, at risk of sounding like my mother; you might want to think about getting out of the house today and finding yourself bride."
Wielding the next stone as hard as he could at the rippling pool, he remarked sarcastically, "Are you sacrificing your youth for the Boy that Lived as well? Have you come to offer yourself to me too?"
'Pop', a hard slap resounded in the clearing, echoing off the trees. Ginny's sky blue eyes, glared as cold as icicles, her jaw clinched.
Instantly raising a hand to his stinging cheek, Harry was dazed, confused at her slap.
"How dare you!" Ginny threw back at him, "I've never been anything but kind to you; in spite of the fact that you've thrown yourself and your curse upon this family. We've all loved you, you stupid ass; not the Boy- that- Lived, and not the semi- superhero praised in the Prophet, but you- Harry." Tears were forming in her eyes now, "Just Harry..."
A single tear streaked her cheek as she turned from him, and began walking away from the pond.
"Ginny!" He called out, but she didn't turn around. It was the first time the truly noticed how beautiful she was, her angry blue eyes, long swan shaped body, silky red hair glistening in the summer's noonday sun. And he had just let her walk away, the only girl that had ever really understood him, probably the only girl that had ever really loved him just disappeared over the horizon...
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St. Anne's Parish Hall
"And now with the power invested in me by the Church of England, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ronald Weasley, you may kiss your bride."When Ron and Hermoine shared their first kiss as a married couple they experienced a new energy and a recharging of inner strength. They were two young people ready to take on the world, and for them, this act was more than a marriage, it was a partnership between two friends, a challenge to powers-that-be, and best of all, it was a big f-you to Voldemort's followers. Sure the Bachelor's Curse killed men or settled them (if only temporarily) in unhappy marriages, but for these two lovers, birds sang, flowers blossomed and love prevailed. Sometimes one could almost believe in the fairytale mantra, Happily Ever After.
-----------------------Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! Thanks Chelles, Elevencherry and Invisble2U for sticking with me! Lady Norbert thanks for you suggestions, but I'm really just too se la vi for a beta, but I appreciate your recommendations and to Jekl, I'd totally forgotten about Lockheart, thanks for inspiring me!
More coming... Lyra