Chapter Four: Life Changes
When everyone had arrived at the Burrow and settled down in the living room, Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and gathered their attention. "As you all know, the Marriage Law has been instituted for all witches and wizards of age or nearly of age. There are rules to this law that you might not be aware of that I want you all to pay very close attention to," he told them. With a sigh he pulled out a list from his pocket and started reading off rules. "Number One: the couple must 'make the marriage official'…consummation. Number Two: the witch must get pregnant within the first year of marriage or annulment is the consequence. If no children are conceived then both parties go back into the marriage pool. Number Three: there will be no trading of spouses once the spouses are assigned. Number Four: If either party should seek 'comfort' outside of the marital bonds then loss of wand is mandatory. Number Five: these bonds are breakable only by the ministry and only in the case of adultery (in which case both parties go back into the pool) or of non-conception. Number Six: if after three pairings one is unable to produce a child, that person is to be exiled from the magical community. All memories shall be replaced and wand revoked."
Mr. Weasley laid the parchment out on the table by the chair in which he sat. "Do you understand the severity of these laws? The Ministry is determined to get the number of magical beings up again, and fast. Our world won't survive much longer unless something is done soon. There are supplements to people already bound together in marriage as well: if the couple is between 17 and 40 another child must be conceived."
"Won't ousting people from the community be losing magical population?" Ginny asked her father.
"They don't see people unable to produce magical children as all that magical," Hermione interjected angrily. "The pig-headed, foul beasts."
"Yes, well it won't do us any good to argue. What's done is done," Mr. Weasley said. "And this is one law we can't afford to ignore." He patted Ginny gently on the shoulder before disappearing outside and heading for his garage. Mrs. Weasley headed toward the kitchen to start dinner and the rest of the group sat around for a moment taking the information in.
"I can't believe we're supposed to start reproducing as soon as we've finished school," Hermione stated to no one in particular. "How are we to get jobs?"
"I think the Ministry expects everyone to work and be able to take care of children. Or to find someone to care for the child while you work," Bill said, running a hand through his long hair.
"I expect that there will be a boost in child care witches, what with the entire magical community reproducing," Charlie offered. He too was messing with his hair, but he was annoyed, thinking about the loss of said hair earlier when his mother had decided it was too long. His face scrunched up thinking about it.
"So who are you supposed to marry?" George asked the dragon keeper.
"Katie Bell. I think she finished school when you and Fred were supposed to."
"Yes. She was a chaser on the house team," Harry said, smiling. "I'd wondered what had happened to her."
"I heard Wood is paired with Angelina," Hermione told him absently. "And Luna's paired with Neville."
"Neville Longbottom?" George asked with a grin.
"Yes, Neville Longbottom," she replied, jotting something down onto a bit of old parchment and shoving it into her pocket.
"They'll have children?" Ron asked, clearly shocked. "I dunno if I want to see that."
"Ronald, they will have lovely children," Hermione chided. "You'll be lucky if we have any nice children at all."
"Are you saying that I don't have nice genes?" he demanded, reddening. They could all tell that another fight was about to happen.
"I'm going to go help your Mum," Mary told George, not wanting to be around for another Ron/Hermione battle. The others found excuses to leave the two 'love birds' alone as well. Bill suggested a game of Quidditch and most everyone else was quick to follow. Ron joined the players and Hermione huffily joined Mrs. Weasley and Mary in the kitchen.
"I can't believe that Ron is so callus about this whole thing," she stated.
"Well, dear, you know Ron…he's a little moody," Mrs. Weasley said, not wanting to get in the middle of anything. Hermione continued to mutter under her breath about Ron's antics until Mrs. Weasley suggested that she go outside and set the table.
"Feisty, that one," the older woman commented to Mary. "Would you mind stirring the soup, dear?"
"Not at all." Mary picked up one of the large wooden spoons and dipped it into the thick broth and meat. Mrs. Weasley turned around to pull some freshly baked bread out of the oven, and then turned back to her future daughter-in-law with a mischievous grin that Mary distinctly recalled seeing on the twin's faces on many occasions.
"I think she and Ron were made for each other. They might actually do each other some good." With a wink, Mrs. Weasley directed the knives to chop potatoes and carrots to go into the soup. "How are you and George making out?"
"Fine, thanks," Mary said, blushing and hoping that her pink cheeks didn't give her away as having been intimate with George moments before arriving at the Burrow.
"That's good to hear. I know he's lonely without Fred. We all miss him…" Her eyes got misty over her departed son, but she pulled herself together again.
"I think the portrait of Fred in the shop helps," Mary said with a smile. "You should drop by and see it." She busied herself with stirring the soup again, hoping that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't burst into tears in the middle of dinner preparation.
"I think I will. Heaven knows I need to visit and then try to convince George to clean up a bit. Have you seen the flat?" Mrs. Weasley had once again inadvertently brought up the tender subject of possible intimacy between her son and Mary without even realizing. Mary cleared her throat, hoping that her voice didn't give their bedroom behavior away.
"Yes, it's quite cluttered," Mary told her, once again blushing.
"But that's George. All of my children just do whatever they please. Not caring about the mess or the stress on their mother." She sniffed. "You'd think they wanted to drive me to St. Mungo's."
"They love you, they're just a little wrapped up in their own lives," Mary said, patting her gently on the shoulder.
"You're right, dear, and they do have busy lives. I can't believe that they've all entered into such a life so early. Especially Ginny…not even of age and fighting off death eaters. I wish they were still as innocent as children. I suppose I'll at least have grandchildren to look forward to soon. Maybe they'll behave a little better."
Mary smiled. She had a feeling that George's children would be anything but the perfect children who never caused any trouble. George was a trickster and there was little reason to believe his children would be any different. She helped Mrs. Weasley finish dinner, and then went outside to call everyone in to eat.
She told George of her new position at Hogwarts over dinner and was congratulated by each of her friends and the family that she was being welcomed into. "This means you'll give us all 'O's right?" Ron asked, his mouth full of bread.
"Eat with your mouth closed, Ronald," Hermione admonished. "We shouldn't expect any special treatment. We've got to do the work if we want the grade."
"That's right. I'd better not hear about you slacking off in potions now either," Mrs. Weasley told him. "She may be your sister-in-law, but you've still got to do the work. Especially because she's your sister-in-law!" Ron groaned and flashed a pleading look in Mary's direction after his mother's attention was elsewhere. She pretended not to see his sad request and turned to Charlie instead.
"So when have you been appointed to marry?" she asked him, pointedly ignoring Ron.
"The end of next month. I think they chose the dates at random. You and George are some of the first ones to go."
"Oh. Well I suppose that makes sense. They can't have everyone marry at the same time, I suppose." She glanced over at George to gage his reaction, but he was quietly chatting with his father about something. Mary didn't know whether or not to be suspicious, but he turned back to the conversation after a moment and she shrugged the feeling off.
"Have they decided when you guy are set to wed?" George asked Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione.
"Well school finishes up in May of next year and Ronald and I are supposed to be married on 1 June," Hermione told him.
"14 July for us," Harry said, smiling at Ginny.
"That's nice. Fine and well for you four, but Fleur is less than pleased that we're required to have a child immediately. We could be separated and placed into other marriages if we don't conceive within a year as well," Bill told them while Fleur was helping Mrs. Weasley bring out wedding planning books. "Uh-oh, mate: looks like Mum wants to decorate for your big affair." He winked at George, who made a rude hand gesture and glared at the beckoning smile of his mother.
"Don't worry about it. I'll go help her decide on things. I suppose men aren't interested in planning weddings," Mary smiled and he watched her get up and join Mrs. Weasley and Fleur on the other end of the table. Bill drew him into a conversation about the Ireland Quidditch team and he almost completely forgot about the plans going on a few feet away.
While Bill was turned away and with the pretense of going inside to relieve his bladder he passed by his fiancé and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I rather like yellow roses," he whispered. Before she could comment, however, he had disappeared. She smiled to herself, knowing that he must actually care about how their wedding was set up to suggest something. She would keep that their little secret, except to suggest yellow roses as the bouquet. Mrs. Weasley was thrilled.
George escorted Mary back to her Grandfather's house after being pressured into spending the evening with his brothers and had to leave their earlier experience to be continued. He kissed her softly before leaving her sitting with her Grandfather in the living room. "What was that all about? I thought you two weren't talking much?" the older man asked his granddaughter quizzically.
"We're talking now," she said simply. His eyes twinkled as he laughed his approval.
"Did you get the Hogwarts position?" he asked after calming down and taking a long drag off of his pipe.
"In fact I did. You're looking at the new potions master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she said proudly. He grinned at her widely.
"This is a spectacular day in Darkbow history. Properly engaged and a potions master. My little dragonfly is growing up."
"I'm already grown, Grandpa," she stated.
"That's what I mean," he said, still chuckling. He gazed into the fire and was quiet for a long time. She watched him for a while before declaring her intent of getting some sleep. "Big day tomorrow. Ministry trip and all," he said with a warm smile.
"Goodnight Grandpa. I'll be up in time to get your breakfast." She placed a kiss on his forehead then ascended the stairs and fell into bed. It had been a long day and as her grandfather had stated, the next would be just as long and important. She would be contracting to marry George Weasley, the marauder soon to turn lover. What a thought that was. She curled up around a large fluffy pillow and drifted off into the dark oblivion of sleep.