Hermione squinted her eyes as a sliver of sunlight crept between the curtains on her bed. She cast a tempus charm and frantically pulled the curtains open. Breakfast started in fifteen minutes, and Professor Snape had specifically requested that she be in the Great Hall when the announcement was made. She rummaged through her trunk, deciding to wear a uniform skirt with tights instead of pants. She threw on her top, jumper, tights, and skirt. She frantically searched the floor for her uniform shoes and found one just under the bed and the other near the door to their room. After quickly styling her unruly hair into a simple plait, Hermione grabbed her school bag and robe and rushed down the stairs, through the common room, and out of Gryffindor tower. She was walking very quickly, about to turn the last corner before arriving to the Great Hall when she ran directly into someone. She fell down on her bottom and winced. That would leave a bruise. She looked up and saw that she had crashed into her betrothed.
"Good morning, Miss Granger."
Hermione looked up at Professor Snape from the floor. She had fallen back, but he stood unmoved where they had collided. She didn't say anything for a moment and then noticed that several of her books had fallen out of her bag in the tumble. She spoke as she frantically gathered her things to put back into her bag.
"Good morning, Professor Snape."
She had only picked up a fraction of what had fallen onto the floor when her things moved themselves back into her bag. Professor Snape quirked an eyebrow at her. Hermione was always amazed by his wandless and wordless magic in class, and this instance was no difference. Though her things were all returned to her bag, she remained on the floor. Professor Snape reached a hand out, and she gratefully accepted. He guided her up from the floor to a standing position. She dusted herself off and grazed her now tender backside.
"Ow", she hissed.
Professor Snape eyed her over, seemingly examining her for any other injuries. Hermione was still catching her breath from the commotion when he interrupted her thoughts.
"Go sit at your house table for breakfast. The announcement of the law will come via the Prophet, and the announcement of my promotion will come at the end of breakfast. Letters with ministry appointed matches will be distributed to all eligible students and myself after breakfast. I have arranged for the two of us to receive ministry match paperwork, so you will need to play the part."
Hermione nodded obediently. She took one last look at her future husband and noticed that he looked exhausted. He likely had been awake all night working. She turned and walked towards the Great Hall. She entered through the main doors and found Harry and Ginny sitting together. She smiled and sat next to Ginny.
"No Ronald?", she asked the couple.
Ginny laughed.
"No, he doesn't have class this morning, so he will likely make his first appearance at lunch."
Hermione glanced at Harry's watch and noted that owl deliveries, which would bring the news of the marriage law via the Prophet should be landing any minute. She sat anxiously for a moment. Movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention as the first owl posts were delivered to students. She saw a great group of owls flying over the Great Hall. A large, brown eagle owl swooped towards Hermione and she drew in a harsh breath. She glanced up at the head table and noticed that Professor Snape was seated, acting completely unaffected. The owl landed in the middle of the table, pecking at the sleeve of Hermione's robe. She pulled a sickle out of her pocket and placed it in the pouch tied to the owl's leg. She accepted the rolled up newspaper and looked to the head table a final time before opening it. Professor Snape stared intensely at her, but his attention was drawn when his own black eagle landed in front of him with the Prophet. Hermione heard gasps and knew that students and other professors had read the news. Harry and Ginny looked around, confused. Hermione opened the paper and read the headline.
ALL SINGLE WIZARDS AGED 17 TO 65 AND WITCHES AGED 17 TO 45 TO MARRY MINISTRY PAIRINGS OR FACE IMPRISONMENT
Harry and Ginny's eyes widened into saucers. Harry snatched the paper up and read the article. His voice shook with anger as he progressed.
"Effective immediately, all adult witches and wizards of childbearing age shall marry ministry-assigned matches. Population growth has been steadily decreasing since the first wizarding war, and the Minister of Magic's Council on Marriages and Family has decided that action must be taken now to prevent extinction or inbreeding of the magical community on the British Isles. Unimpeded copulation will be required of couples twice a week until three children have been produced or until the couple has been married for five years. More information will become available in Ministry matching letters."
Harry's face was red with anger. He and Ginny looked at each other, not sure what to say in this situation. As if struck, Harry turned towards Hermione, who had a strange look on her face. Ginny touched her arm, and Hermione couldn't hold back the emotions that she had been suppressing since the night before. She lunged into Ginny and Harry's arms and sobbed. Ginny stroked her hair while Harry patted her back. Harry and Ginny guided Hermione back to the bench at the Gryffindor table. Their classmates looked at the trio sympathetically. Hermione was the oldest in their year, and she was the only sixth year to be affected by the law, having only come of age days ago. Ginny crouched in front of Hermione and shoved a glass of juice in her hand.
"Drink this, and you should eat something."
Hermione smiled a bit, thinking of how similar to Mrs. Weasley Ginny was becoming. She glanced around and made eye contact with a few students who were giving her pitying looks. The year above Harry, Ron, and Hermione's had always been on the smaller side with only 16 students total while most other levels had over 30 students. The seventh year students congregated at the end of Hufflepuff's table, furiously whispering. Murmurings at the head table conveyed concern for students, and a few professors had sent sympathetic looks to Professor Snape, who, being the youngest Hogwarts professor by about twenty years, was the only staff member affected by the law. Hermione looked up to the head table. Professor Snape was surveying the room with his gaze, and his eyes landed on Hermione. She thought she saw a flash of something in his eyes, but she couldn't be sure. Professor Dumbledore stood and glided to the podium. He cast a sonorous charm and started to speak.
"Good morning, this announcement certainly brings about great change and hardship for many of our older students. I am aware that this situation is not ideal for many of you, but I hope that you can trust that the Minister's Council on Marriages and Family made this decision. Those students and staff who are affected by the law shall stay in the Great Hall after breakfast to receive your ministry spousal assignments. Before I dismiss the remaining students, I do have an announcement that will affect all students."
Harry looked at Hermione and Ginny with a look of bewilderment on his face. He leaned over and whispered to Ginny.
"Do you think that he seems a little too ok with this?"
Ginny shrugged, and Hermione shushed him, gesturing her head towards the front of the hall. Dumbledore continued speaking.
"I have been the headmaster of this fine institution for 30 years. I have seen it through war and peace and success and failures. I have enjoyed my time here, but it is time for me to step down and retire."
Before he could continue, gasps broke across the hall. Some students looked nervous, and others, namely the Slytherins, had smirks on their faces.
"Replacing me will be one of your professors who has provided exemplary service to this school for over a decade. I trust that he will continue to lead this institution towards greatness. I present the next headmaster of Hogwarts, Headmaster Severus Snape."
Shocked gasps washed over the Great Hall. Hermione looked over at Harry, who appeared to be in shock. Ginny was tearing up, her eyes glassy. Hermione looked away from her friends and scanned the Great Hall. She picked up whispers from nearby tables.
"He's a death eater.", someone at the Hufflepuff table hissed.
Hermione looked up at the head table where Professor Snape and Dumbledore were shaking hands. Professor Snape smoothly slid behind the podium, and Albus stood at his ride side. Professor Snape started speaking.
"It is my pleasure to serve this institution as headmaster. In these uncertain times, I hope to continue Headmaster Dumbledore's legacy of providing a sanctuary at Hogwarts. Due to unforeseen circumstances with the newest legislation from the ministry, lessons will be cancelled today. I will be available to meet with any students or staff by appointment in the coming weeks. Thank you."
The younger students whispered, excited to have a day off of lessons. Many of the older students remained sullen, not sure how to process. Hermione watched as the new headmaster sat down in the ornate center chair at the head table, and she looked back towards her plate. Harry and Ginny were speaking tensely.
"This is horrible!", Harry moaned.
Ginny sighed.
"Dumbledore really trusts him, Harry. I pity the poor girl who has to wed and bed that git, though."
Harry chuckled and then turned somber. He spoke to Hermione.
"Hermione, you are handling this really well. You must be going crazy inside."
Hermione smiled nervously.
"I'm a little preoccupied with the possibility of marrying a stranger to worry about Professor Snape being the headmaster."
They patted her back soothingly, and several other Gryffindors sent her sympathetic glances. A squat man entered the Great Hall at that moment and strutted down the center of the hall between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Several students watched as he approached the Head Table. Professor Snape had descended to the main floor to greet the man. Hermione watched as the headmaster and the unknown man shook hands, and a chill went up Hermione's spine. She strongly suspected that this man was a death eater. The short man casted a sonorous charm and started speaking.
"Good morning, my name is Albert Kettletoft. I serve on the Minister of Magic's Council of Marriages and Family. I ask that all students under the age of seventeen please leave the hall."
Harry and Ginny paused for a moment, staring at Hermione. She grabbed their hands and squeezed affectionately.
"I'm going to be ok. Let's meet in the Room of Requirement right after. I'll come when we finish."
They squeezed back, walking away slowly, turning their heads every few steps to look at Hermione. All of the seventh year students and Hermione gathered towards the front of the hall at their respective house tables. After the last underage student had left, Kettletoft started to speak.
"We will be distributing ministry matchings this morning. The Council worked hard to make this as seamless as possible. We matched couples together based on magical compatibility, and in your cases, on convenience. I had a meeting with Headmaster Snape last night, and he made it clear that he thought it best for all of you to remain in school, even after your ministry bindings."
There was a sigh of relief among some of the young women. They had obviously feared that they would be pulled from school if their husbands didn't see the need for an educated wife. Kettletoft continued.
"To make this possible, all students at Hogwarts have been matched to a spouse that also resides here at Hogwarts."
Many of the seventh years seemed a little relieved that they would not be matched with a much older spouse. At the Ravenclaw table, though, one girl raised her hand. Kettletoft inclined his head towards her, and she started speaking.
"There is an odd number of adult students with Granger, though."
Kettletoft made a face.
"Yes, we have thought of that. We have handled the odd number situation."
Confused glances were exchanged, but Kettletoft continued.
"When I call your name, come forward to receive your assignment letter. I encourage you to speak to your assigned match today to plan a ceremony. All bindings will need to be completed a week from today at midnight."
Whispers broke out, and Kettletoft was getting annoyed at the interruptions.
"Hermione Granger."
Hermione swallowed and walked towards the man. He held out an envelope to her and she saw a glint in his eyes that made her uneasy. She accepted the envelope and returned to her seat. The ministry official continued calling names, but the anxious silence at the Gryffindor table as Hermione thumbed the envelope open was deafening, and it drowned out all other noises. Hermione felt eyes upon her and knew she was going to have to play the part of a surprised school girl who was being forced to marry her much older, grumpy professor. Hermione pulled the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it gingerly. She was not surprised to see the name of her betrothed, Severus Snape. She started tearing up, having been faced again with the reality that she would be married in less than a week. A seventh year Gryffindor girl who Hermione knew to be a muggleborn also slid next to her on the bench and patted her back sympathetically. The girl glanced down at Hermione's open letter on the table and gasped loudly. That drew the attention of all of the Gryffindors at the table. Whispers started circulating. She looked to where Professor Snape stood opening his own envelope. He unfolded his letter, glanced down at it, and calmy folded it and placed it in one of the pockets of his robes. He glided over to where Hermione was seated. Hermione looked up at him, aware that nearly everyone in the room was watching them now. Before he could say a word to her, she bolted away from him, out the doors of the Great Hall.