Dorado, who was getting more agitated, grabbed the papers from her hands and began to read them. He looked up with an astonished look "Is this true??"

Dumbledore nodded "It is indeed true, please understand that this isn't how they wanted you all to find out, but that is how it is to be."

Jessica with a look of horror finally spoke "So, is there anyway out of it?"

"I am afraid not, your parents as well as his signed the paper and made it clear that this is what they wanted." Dumbledore replied.

They heard a knock at the door. In walked Dorado's parents. "What is the meaning of this, Albus?" they asked in unison

"The papers, Dorado, would you hand them to your father please," Dumbledore asked

Dorado stood up slowly, took the papers to his father and then sat back down.

His parents read through the papers and then looked at Dumbledore, then to Jessica and back to the papers. "Am I reading this correctly? This is their daughter? Why haven't they contacted us?" Dorado's father finally inquired.

"Well..." Dumbledore started.
Although, Jessica jumped up and said, "Well, if you would have been in better contact, you would have known that they were dead and have been dead for five years now, but no, you were off in some other world. While the fact still remains that you signed that paper stating that I have to marry your son, who doesn't even like me, and I can see from the looks on your faces that you don't like me either, but what does that matter. You signed the paper sealing our fate, and that is all there is to it."

She inhaled deeply as she sat down trying to hold back tears. They looked astonished and couldn't think of anything to say. The room was silent for what seemed an eternity until Dumbledore spoke up.
"Well, we need to decide what needs to be done as you can't break a contract, unless both parties agree and seeing as her parents are no longer here and she has to decide," he looked over at her, "but I say we give them the year to decide. Although, I don't know what effects will come out of breaking such a contract."

Dorado's parents nodded and his father said, "No, we made the contract, we will follow through with it; they will marry as soon as they become of age. For now they need to get to know each other."

Dorado looked over at his parents as if to find something that would say they were lying and he wouldn't have to, but he saw none. He looked at Jessica and a thought came to him 'well I guess this is how it goes now.'

Jessica thought her life was going to change; she didn't know at that moment how right she was.

Dumbledore told Jessica and Dorado they could go, eat dinner. As they left, Dumbledore continued to talk to Dorado's parents. Finally, Dorado decided to break the silence between the two.
"So, would you care to eat dinner with me and my friends?" he said knowing quite well that it would be social suicide to sit with her.

Jessica looked up at him seeming a bit calmer then when she basically yelled at his parents. "Now, you really don't want to eat with me, and I have heard that if you sit with me it would be social suicide. So, why don't we save ourselves the trouble and only talk when we have school work or when no one is around, that way you have your social status and I have mine," she said coldly.

It took him a great deal to say his next statement. "That is your choice, but I am willing to...lose my social status"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "I don't think you are really willing; maybe when you are you can come talk to me," she said as she walked into the Great Hall and sat at her normal end of the table.

Dorado shook his head and went to sit with his friends. They began asking him questions as to what happened in Professor Dumbledore's office; he just shrugged them off. He didn't want them to know what really happened.

Later that night, he headed for his dormitory and got out a quill and some parchment. He then began writing a letter to his parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,
I know you said that I would have to get to know her first, but are you seriously going to make me marry her. I mean come on; she is a loner like none before. All she does is study and won't talk to anyone. I really don't understand her. I guess if you want me to still get to know her then I will grit my teeth and bare it, but I won't be happy about it.
Your Son,
Dorado

The next morning came, Jessica headed to the table to eat breakfast. As she sat down, Dorado sat down next to her. "Good Morning," he said with a smile

Jessica looked at him. "Good Morning," she said dully as she looked back her place.

"Why are you sitting with me?" she asked.

"Just to talk about our project in potions and maybe see if we can hang out sometime?" he said shortly.

"I have loads of work I have to do, so no to hanging out. And when do you want to start the potions project?" she said looking at him.

"How about after classes today; we can go and look in the library," he said.

"Okay, that is fine by me," she said as she began to eat her breakfast.

After she ate her breakfast, she headed towards her first class, which happened to be potions, which meant Dorado would be her partner. 'Great,' she thought. 'Just what I need, him asking me all sorts of questions. I know I like him and all, but I don't think I want to marry him, yeah date, but who am I kidding? He is amazing, and I just don't want him to lose all of his friends and his status because of me…' She entered the classroom, had a seat, and began looking at the days notes. Dorado came in talking with a group of friends, and then he took his place next to her and grabbed his book out of his bag.

Professor Snape came into the room and began teaching. Dorado wrote something on a piece of parchment and passed it to one of his friends who started to laugh to himself. Jess looked over at them as to say 'shut-up', and Dorado stopped what he was doing and looked up at Snape. After class Dorado caught up to Jess "Hey, so the library right after classes right?"

Jess nodded and headed off to her Defense against Dark Arts.

Jess stopped for a moment before she began again.