*Author's Note* YES I KNOW, OKAY. I'm supposed to be working on "What's Love Got To Do With It", but this hit me in the middle of the night and I literally can't get it out of my head. I can't move on until I do. It's interrupting my homework even and I find myself drifting back to the story racing through my mind. So, don't hex me, please.
*Disclaimer* not mine yada yada. All characters belong to the great J.K. I just like making them do naughty things she didn't.
The voices around the table had become interchangeable. Albus and Minerva sat at the head, around them the Order voicing their opinions, anger, fear, and frustrations. Fred and George sat on the kitchen counters, the implications being discussed weighing heavily on them.
"She's a child-"
"They can't do this-"
"She'll be of age in a month Molly."
Molly fussed about the table, whispering to herself, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Sirius hadn't stopped pacing, obscenities directed at the ministry the only thing to come from him in the last hour.
The room had finally fallen silent. No decisions had been made; no consensus come to. The tension was palpable. Arthur cleared his throat, taking a long sip from his tea.
"Well then, what shall we do about this?"
"Why not ask the girl? It is her life after all." Moody's response was unexpected. His voice held what could almost be described as sympathy. There were "hmphs" of agreement and Moody nodded to Tonks. With a bow of her head, she left the kitchen, headed for the stairs and the children waiting anxiously upstairs.
Silent at the table, as he had been all night, Remus Lupin stared at the copy of the Daily Prophet, to be released the following day.
Muggle-born Breeding Law Effective Immediately
3 hours. That's how long it had been since Kingsley and Arthur had arrived, a flurry of robes and shouts for the Order to hold an emergency meeting. Snape hadn't been far behind, his face as unreadable as ever.
Fleur had been placed at the bottom of the stairs. A guard to prevent the 4 underage wizards and witches from attempting to eavesdrop. Silencing charms deafened the room, but occasionally a raised voice broke through, muffled though it was. Often it sounded to be from Sirius. The 4 would-be members had begun the meeting sitting at the top of the stairs, straining to hear any piece of information. As the minutes slipped by, they one by one made their way to Hermione and Ginny's room. It was the cleanest after all.
Harry and Ron passed the time playing Wizard's Chess. Ginny had her nose in a Quidditch Weekly. Hermione was getting a start on her reading for the new term, set to begin in 3 days' time. They'd given up guessing as to what the Order was arguing about and sat in uncomfortable silence. There was a soft knock at the door before Tonks peeked her head in. Her hair shifted from ashy grey to black. Her tumultuous emotions were obviously keeping her from holding one appearance steady for long.
"Hermione? The Order needs a word with you." Harry and Ron made to stand to join her but Tonks held up her hand.
"Just Hermione for the moment guys."
This isn't good… Hermione stood, absentmindedly clutching her copy of Confronting the Faceless: An Advanced Guide to Transfigurations to her chest. She silently followed the metamorphagus down the stairs, her heart pounding faster as they passed Fleur with her sad smile.
They entered the kitchen, the Order looking to her simultaneously. She squeezed the book tighter.
"You wanted to speak to me?" Remus stood, his seat at the end of the table offering her the best view of the entire order. She smiled gratefully, noticing the tight expression across his face. He held a parchment in his hands, the cover folded inward. From the back, she could see it was a Daily Prophet. She sat, expecting someone to speak. For what felt like an eternity, they remained silent.
"Alright, let's get on with it then. Give it to her." Moody was gruff as always, she thought. Remus placed the Prophet in front of her, his hands shaking slightly. Sirius finally stopped pacing, his eyes fixed on the young witch as she read the next days heading.
"Muggle-born breeding-" She couldn't finish. The words flashed across the page.
17 years of age- interbreeding diluting magical blood- marriage to half or pureblood- 2 years to conceive- Azkaban-
The Order waited, allowing her to absorb the information before her. She was an intelligent girl. It wouldn't take her long to deduce the implications.
"I have to get married." Her voice was flat. They were correct. She had the choice to either marry a member of the Order, be married off to a death eater, or be sent to Azkaban.
"Yes. This is an obvious attempt to get their hands on you. They hope to marry you to a death eater and use you against the Order, and Harry." Kingsley's voice was soft, sympathy laced his words.
"Who? Harry and Ron won't be 17 in time…" her voice trailed, thinking of Ron. Behind Kingsley, Fred and George shifted uncomfortably.
"I'll do it." Their voices were in unison as always. Both boys' faces paled as they spoke. They cared for Hermione like a sister and she felt tears sting her eyes at the act of kindness.
"Thank you, both of you. But no." Molly and Arthur began to protest and she stood, holding her hand up to stop them.
"I will not have Fred or George, or Bill for that matter," she sent a pointed glare at Molly, "throw away their lives to protect me. They all have significant others. Charlie and Percy are also not options. Charlie cannot be located and here in time, and I'm sorry but I'd end up hexing Percy beyond recognition." Behind her, Sirius chuckled. If any of them thought Hermione would just lay down and accept what they decided for her, they were mistaken.
Moody scratched names off a parchment as she spoke. He grumbled to himself as he continued to write and subsequently scratch.
"None of the Weasley boys, Potter-no, Severus-ha" scratch, scratch, scratch, "Sirius is still a wanted man… hmm, that only leaves. Well…"
Remus listened silently from the back of the room where he'd moved after handing Hermione the copy of the Prophet. He admired her resolve not to "ruin anyone else's life", but felt the girl was foolish not to take up one of the twins' offer. He listened to Moody make his way down the list, dread, and bile rising in him.
"Lupin. You're not romantically entangled with a witch." Moody's magical eye whirled about the room, settling momentarily on Tonks behind him who perked at the mention of Remus' surname, before turning back to Remus. McGonagall bristled, but Albus, who had remained his silent statuesque self, smiled slightly.
"That may be acceptable. Hagrid will be headed out to work with the giants again, I will need a Care of Magical Creatures professor. You could fill the position and maintain an appearance of matrimony with Miss Granger should the ministry come investigating. She would be able to continue her studies virtually unimpeded, and when the war is over, we can work to repeal the law." The old wizard was standing now, thoughtfully stroking his long beard.
Remus watched as Hermione slowly turned to meet his eyes. Her face paled, her stoic resolve finally crumbling. He imagined her face mirrored his own and in a flash, she was gone, running from the room to the nearest washroom, her hand over her mouth as she held back the vomit. Instinctively he followed behind her, whether to comfort her or join her in emptying his stomach, he didn't know.