A/N: I own nothing
Students arrived, first years were sorted into their respective houses, and due to the small number of sixth and seventh year students the classes were combined. Blaise and Luna found themselves in most of their classes together.
Blaise found himself as the Slytherin head boy, and Luna was a Ravenclaw prefect, so their time was taken up studying for NEWT level exams, homework and their duties before they knew it, it was November 25, 2007 Stir Up Sunday.
The house elves had a large Christmas pudding on a table in the entrance hall; each student was encouraged to give it a stir on their way into breakfast.
Ginny, Luna, Blaise and Draco were sitting at a table discussing their upcoming potions exam. Luna held the opinion that adding bloomslang skin at the last moment with a counter clockwise half stir would enhance their potion, everyone else was convinced that the potion would explode.
A chiming sound turned their attention toward the head table, Headmistress McGonagall stood, "Thank you children. I have an important announcement to make to all students over the age of seventeen, please stay behind after breakfast is finished."
The Headmistress sat back down and engaged in a heated conversation with Madame Pomfrey, the pinched look on her face worried the students.
"I wonder what that's about?" Ginny wondered aloud to no one in particular.
"The continued underpinning of the British wizarding society" Luna stated as she took a bite of her toast.
Blaise and Draco looked confused, raising his eyebrows in Blaise's direction asking if he knew what in the world Luna was talking about.
"What was that my sweet little snorknack?" Blaise asked as he was as lost as Draco.
Ginny's gasp of horror turned their attention to her, "They went through with that idiot plan didn't they?"
"They need to ensure that potential electorate will be in adequate numbers, much like snargles. Snargles ensure the continuation of their living spaces."
"But I heard that it would only affect anyone over the age of twenty." Ginny whispered, "I turned seventeen last month, Luna your eighteen, Draco you and Blaise are both nineteen." Ginny's look of horror had both young men worried.
Before they could get a straight answer out of them, Professor McGonagall stood up, "If I could have your attention please."
Blaise heard Draco mutter, "maybe now we'll get a straight answer"
Taking a deep breath Headmistress McGonagall prepared herself to make one of the hardest speeches ever, "Students as some of you may be aware the Ministry of Magic has been planning to draft legislation that would ensure the continuation of our wizarding society. Rufus Scrimongeur has seen fit to pass what he is whimsically calling the 'Wizarding Marriage Act'. The act states that any witch or wizard capable of bearing children will wed within the next six months. They have decided that starting at seventeen years old is the appropriate age to start being wed."
Professor McGonagall held up her hands for silence as the students all started to speak, some of the girls even broke out in hysterical crying.
As the students quieted down enough so that she could once again be heard, "The second section of the act states that no Pureblood may marry another pureblood unless there is sufficient probability of ensuring children from said union. Students wishing to contract with other students are encouraged to make their wishes know as soon as possible. I and the staff will do all we can to help you through this difficult time."
"Well that's it then," Draco stated, at the confused looks from his tablemates, "MOM has finally lost what little sense it ever had, the fumes from the r&d department finally cracked Scrimogeur's mind."
"Draco don't you realize we have, all of us, have to get married sometime before next May!" Ginny couldn't believe how calm he was, she had overheard her mom and dad talking right before she left for Hogwarts, there had been rumors about the ministry legislating their society to have children.
"I am fully aware of what the law portends weaselette." Draco drawled snidely.
Ginny stared at him in astonishment, how could he be so calm about this, he was being forced to marry within the next six months.
Luna held up her goblet and studied Blaise and Draco through the empty crystal, studying them as if she was a scientist and they were a new form of bugs.
Deciding to leave the conundrum otherwise known as Draco Malfoy alone for now, Ginny instead turned her attention toward her other enigma of a friend known as Luna Lovegood, "Luna what are you doing?"
"Trying to decide whom I should ask to marry me."
The straight forward reply shocked the three sitting at the table, Luna lowered her glass, got up from the table and left the great hall for her first class of the day.