Ya'llllll make me so happy. The reviews and messages make me go *squee*!
ANYWAYS - Yes, I am aware that there is a distant relation in the black family line between Harry/Narcissa - in my mind, this is negated by Harry's muggle genetics from his Mother and the relation was quite distant to begin with, but whatevs, let's call this an AU, okay?
Also, I love you all! Just as a small FYI, I did take on a part-time job so my updates may be a bit more sporadic, but to make up for that, here's a long chapter!
Enjoy :)
Harry and Hermione apparated to just outside the wards of the Weasley family home on Sunday morning. The home stood tall and proud among grassy fields, a picturesque lake, and a small orchard. In the distance, it was easy to see several red-haired family members playing quidditch before the weekly brunch gathering that Molly held.
Hermione looked at Harry, "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him carefully.
"Hermione, I owe them this," Harry said blandly. "After all these years, the least I can do is tell them about the law myself, and... about my matches."
"Even I don't understand why you didn't cast with Ginny," Hermione mumbled, "You're going to cause a riot."
Harry sighed deeply, "Let's go." he said, and headed for the teetering house.
When Harry and Hermione entered the house, they were quickly pulled into the arms of Molly Weasley, the family matriarch.
"Look at you two! I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you, Hermione, you've been so busy at the Ministry!" she exclaimed, "And Harry! I'll call Ginny in, she's been waiting to see you all day!"
Molly shuffled from the room and Harry could hear her hollering for her children from the back door.
A stampede of feet quickly followed, and five members of the Weasley clan tumbled through the door.
"Harry!" shrieked Ginny, throwing herself into the arms of her boyfriend, "You're here!"
Ron strode in and gave Hermione a quick side hug, which made her more than a bit uncomfortable. He'd been harboring a hope for a relationship with her for many years, and she'd continued to rebuff his efforts, not only because she'd thought they wouldn't be a good personality match, but because he was on the arm of a different witch most nights, had taken up drinking and seemed much angrier than she'd remembered him being at school, which was saying something because Ronald Weasley was always angry about something, even then.
The floo sounded in the room adjacent, signaling the arrival of the last member of the family and his wife. Bill and Fleur walked in, with Billy looking messy and Fleur looking regal, holding the hands of their small daughter, Victorie, between them.
"Oh everyone's here! Come on now," Molly interrupted the small conversations that were happening in the room, "It's time to eat, and Harry and Hermione have news for us!"
Ginny glared at Hermione, wondering what news she could have with Harry. Harry was supposed to tell her everything, but Ginny knew that even after several years, he was still closer to the witch he arrived with.
The family gathered around the table, each grabbing spoonfuls of food that Molly had prepared. Harry loved this family, and knew what they were about to unveil would rile them up, if not have them shoving him out the door.
When everyone was served and tucking into the Sunday meal, Hermione began to speak.
"As most of you know, I work in close cooperation with the Wizengamot on new legislation being brought to the Wizarding community. I've asked Minister Shaklebolt for special consideration to discuss some new legislation with your family, you are our friends and members of the Order, I felt you should hear this from me before hearing it from the papers," she said. "Harry is aware of the law as well, due to some extenuating circumstances, and we're both hoping that you'll listen to what we have to say, and hopefully join us in supporting the mandate."
The room was quiet. It was clear this was a matter of importance.
Ron, mouth half full of food, spat out "Well, what it is?"
Hermione grimaced, although she should be used to his lack of table manners, it never failed to disgust her when he spoke with his mouth full of food.
"In order to explain the law, it's important that you understand some of the reasoning behind why the Wizengamot is implementing it." she continued, "You may have heard that St. Mungo's has been doing some long-term research into the decline in birth rates since before the first fall of Voldemort. That research has concluded and the results are quite grim."
She took a deep breath before continuing, "Many families are having a significant amount of trouble getting pregnant, and staying pregnant." She looked at Bill and Fleur, whose beautiful daughter was perched between them.
Bill cleared his throat. "We are aware. We had... a lot of trouble," he said, looks of shock around the table indicated that this was something he hadn't spoken of with the family. "Before Victorie, there were two losses. We had to use a lot of fertility treatments for her, and Healer Pye, who worked with us at Mungo's said we'd probably not get pregnant again."
Molly gasped, "But, the Weasley family has never had trouble..." she interrupted.
Bill groaned and there were tears on Fleur's face. "Yes, Mother, we know." he said, "But apparently that's not the case any longer."
Hermione knew she needed to take back over the conversation before feelings were hurt between the mother and son.
"Bill's right, even families whose lineage was successful previously are having a hard time conceiving." she said, "Research shows that birth rates are a fourth of what they once were, and getting lower and lower. Without intervention and assistance, the Wizarding community will be gone within two very small generations."
Arthur looked serious. "Intervention?" he questioned. "What do you mean?"
Hermione stuttered slightly, unsure of how to tell the family the news of the law. "St. Mungo's and the Wizengamot have determined the best way to prevent the die out of Wizarding Britain is to implement a law requiring able witches and wizards to marry and produce children."
The silence was deafening.
"Well," Ginny smirked, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I can support a law that allows me to marry and have kids with Harry. We were going to do it anyway, this will just have us doing it sooner rather than later."
Harry looked sick.
"Well, what about those of us with no desire to marry?" Fred asked.
"I'm already married and Penelope can't have kids, what about us?" Percy spoke up.
"I'm in Romania!" Charlie interrupted.
Each member of the family spoke over one another until all that could be heard was random shouting.
"ENOUGH," Harry shouted, slamming his fist onto the table.
"Jesus, calm down! We'll answer your questions" he declared. "There's no need for yelling, we're here as friends, remember?"
Hermione knew the man was on edge and worried about how to speak of his position in all of this.
"There have been adjustments made to the law to handle all of your situations. Non-married couples will have the opportunity to marry. However, they'll have to submit to magical genetic screening to ensure their magical genetic lines are compatible with future life. If the person you are with is a magical match to you, you would be allowed to marry." She paused, "Well, mostly..."
"You see, the research St. Mungo's completed indicated that the problem with the birth rate stemmed from intermixing familial lines to many pure-bloods marrying other pure-bloods. So pure-bloods will have to pair up with half-bloods or muggle-borns." Hermione explained.
Ginny sighed audibly, and Harry fought to not roll his eyes.
"There's a lot that has gone into the matching process, the Department of Mysteries worked, with my help, to develop a spell that will pulse Britain's magical population and determine the best matches for witches and wizards to ensure future procreation." Hermione knew there was about to be an outburst, and so she continued, even louder.
"Just, please wait. Let me finish." she said, "Couples who are not married can choose to marry and cast for magical matches together if they are not a magical match themselves. It is required. Couples who are already married will be required to submit to medical testing to determine if they're a good magical match. If they are not, they will be required to cast for magical matches as well."
Bill spoke first. "Hermione, this is insane. Are you honestly telling us that both Harry and you support this?"
"I assure you that I did not support the law, or magical matching, in the beginning. I did a lot of yelling and screaming and fighting and in the end, the only thing I could do is ensure that the law that was passed was a fair and balanced as possible, including a larger range of ages, up to 80, and allowing for same-sex partnerships and male pregnancies." Hermione said.
"So, Fleur and I are probably not a magical match, are we?" He asked, softly.
"Probably not." Hermione answered sadly, "With the troubles you've already had, it's unlikely that you'd be a magical match. You could stay married and chose to cast together, for matches for both of you, or to stay married and cast separately. Both of you would be required to marry any matches the cast found for you. The other option would be to separate and cast alone, which I am assuming you would not choose to do. We are anticipating many of the arranged pure-blood marriages to take that path."
Fluer was openly crying, hugging her daughter and clinging to Bill. "So, we can stay together." she asked, "We just need to have more kids with others? How many kids?"
"Two, at least." she said, "with each match."
At first, she thought no one caught that addendum, but Percy was looking at her shrewdly.
"With each match,' he sneered. "Excuse me, are you saying we will have more than one match?"
Hermione looked down at her hands, not being able to bear the looks of shock and anger on the faces of those she loved.
"Yes. Most purebloods have matched with one, sometimes two people." she said quietly, "Half-bloods will likely pair with two people, and muggle-borns with at least two. It's not ideal, I know. Please understand I've already raged as much as I could bear. I have three matches."
It was then that Ron exploded.
"WHAT!" he shouted, spittle flying. "YOU have THREE matches? HERMIONE, you were supposed to be with ME! I'm your match! You go tell the ministry to fuck right off!"
Hermione looked at her school friend with frustration and sadness in her eyes.
"Ron, you were not one of my matches. The spell did not find our magical genetics to be matching. I already have my matches." she said.
"WHO?" he screamed at her, his face purple with rage. "Who did you choose, you stupid slut?"
"It's none of your business at this point RONALD, and I would ask you to refrain from petty name calling." she sneered at him.
Ron clearly could take no more as he shoved away from the table and slammed out the back door of the house, screaming the entire way about traitors, bitches, and having his wife stolen from him.
Hermione shook her head, looking at the other occupants of the room.
"I know this isn't easy to stomach. Please, please know that I did everything I could. We can't risk wizarding Britain dying out, we just can't" she pleaded.
Arthur spoke, so quiet it was almost a whisper. "I would think Molly and I are a good match, we have seven - well six, but seven kids already. What will be required of us?"
Hermione could see the heartbreak on his face. "If you are magically compatible, you will be required to produce two more children. You would not be required to cast for more matches."
The relief on his face was palpable, and Molly still seemed frozen in shock.
"Harry," Ginny spoke loudly, "I'll support the law, let's just go get the testing and get married right away so we don't have to worry about anyone else. I know you haven't asked and I wouldn't normally tell you we should do it, but we need to get married before the law, don't you think?"
Harry looked downtrodden, and more than a bit green around the gills.
"No."
Ginny was clearly confused.
"What? No?" she asked.
"No, Gin, I'm sorry, we can't do that," Harry said sadly.
"Yes, we can! You're the boy-who-lived! Just tell Kingsley that's what you want and you know he'll make it happen! Come on Harry!" Ginny was nearly shouting, and close to being hysterical.
It was then that Harry got upset.
"OF COURSE!" he shouted, "That's all I'm good for isn't it? The bloody boy-who-lived? That's all you ever talk about! Dating the boy-who-lived, marrying the boy-who-lived. I'm MORE than that Gin!"
"Well, I know Harry, I just think you need to be more proud of it, gee!" Ginny defended herself, "I didn't think you'd be upset about it! I'm just helping your image!"
"And I don't give a bloody shit about my image!" Harry responded. "I don't want to be the boy-who-lived. I don't want to do interviews, I don't want to take photos, I don't want a big wedding, especially not with YOU!"
All the side conversations and whispers in the room were silenced in a single breath.
"Excuse me?" Ginny croaked, "Not with me? What? We've been together since sixth year!"
"Yes, and I truly loved you, once." Harry said grimly, "I care about you, about ALL of you" he looked at the family gathered in the room. "But Ginny, you need someone who wants to live in the spotlight and take you to fancy dinners and out shopping and spoil you rotten, and that's not me! I just want a house, my job, and some kids to keep me happy. That's all I need!"
"Please Harry!" Ginny pleaded, "The law will make us have kids! We can compromise! I can be that wife!"
Harry stood, and Hermione could tell he was planning to leave so she lept to her own feet, gathering her belongings.
"Gin, you're wrong. even if we were a match, you would never be happy with that life." he said, "Besides, I already cast, and I have two matches. And you aren't one."
He looked at Hermione and gestured to the door.
Hermione turned before exiting.
"I know this is hard, but we could really use your support. I'll owl you later. Please, please consider it." she said, before leaving the room, grasping Harry's hand, and apparating away.