The Marriage Law

Title: The Marriage Law
Rating: R
Summery: The Ministry publicly tells the Wizarding world that the Pureblooded families are in danger of dying out. To save the Wizarding world they pass the Marriage Law. How will a certain muggle-born witch take it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter One: The Marriage Law

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, was looking over the report from St. Mungo's Wizarding Hospital, and it didn’t look good. The doctor was watching him with interest. He looked up, put down the report, and folded his arms.
“How disastrous is this?” He asked.
“Very,” the doctor told him. "We are seeing this in all the Wizarding families. And with the many deaths at the hands of Lord Voldemort we are going to continue to see this until the Wizarding world no longer exists.”
“What kind of things are you seeing Doctor?”
“Squibs, barren witches and wizards, and stillborns,” the doctor replied. Fudge's face went white.
“What can we do to stop this?” The doctor suddenly became uncomfortable. “Well?”
“Well, the only way to prevent this from continuing is if a pureblooded wizard marries a muggle-born witch. This would stop it from progressing, and then it would decline.”
“Very well,” Fudge decided. “I will pass the Marriage Law, and send notices to all the heads of the pureblooded families that still have children. We will list what girls are of legal marrying age, and let them decide whom they want their sons to marry. Age is not a consideration.”

The Doctor nodded and left. Fudge pulled out a piece of parchment, and started to write out the new law. When he had finished, he called his assistant in.
“Mr. Weasley I want a list of all Muggle-born witches who are sixteen years and older, and a list of pureblooded families that still have sons,” Fudge demanded. He nodded and left. Fudge sat back thinking about all of this. He knew the sons would not like this, but he had to make sure that the Wizarding world survived. Percy returned with the list, and started to send out owls. As they flew away, Fudge retired for the night believing he had done the right thing. Mr. Snape received his owl, taking the letter, he sat down on a chair and opened it.

Dear Mr. Snape,

I have not released this yet as I wanted to make sure everyone got their letter before the world exploded in pure panic, but it has come to our attention that because of the long standing intermarriage of Pureblooded families, a rare disease has appeared, and is slowing killing off the Pureblooded race. A new law will be passed that I hope will save the Wizarding world. I
know for a fact you have one son who is not married. I am hereby inclosing a list of Muggle-born witches who are of legal age to marry to chose from. Included are their house and their intelligence factor. Please enclose the name of the witch for our records so we may do what is necessary.

Cornlius Fudge
Minister of Magic

Mr. Snape almost passed out with shock. If this disease was as bad as Fudge had said, then this law was necessary. He looked at the list that was presented to him. Most of the students were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. He wanted his son to have the smartest bride possible. And then, just as he was about to put the list of Gryffindors down on the table, he noticed something odd about the last one. Hermione Granger entered Hogwarts at eleven, but she was a year older. There was a note about her high scores and the reason for the up in age.
“A time-turner, now why would someone want to use a time-turner?” he thought to himself. “Model student, avid rule-follower. Perfect.” He took the role of parchment and wrote down her name. When he finished, it magically sealed. He got an owl and sent off his reply. Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy received his in Azkaban. He signed up Hermione at once. He knew this must be serious, but also he smirked. That Mudblood would be Draco’s wife, and then she would have to obey his son and do whatever he wanted. The owl was sent away, and Lucius for a small time had a happy thought. Soon the Ministry was filled with owls.

Percy's job, along with several others, was to make sure the right scroll went to the right witch. When he noticed Hermione had two suitors, he shook his head and they left as well. When the two owls arrived in Professor Dumbledore's office, they joined a growing number on his desk. Professor McGonagall shooed them away, leaving the Headmaster with a mess.
“I can’t believe they all want to see you,” Professor McGonagall cried. Dumbledore didn’t respond, he just thought about the letter Fudge had sent him. “Do you know how rare this is?” Dumbledore told her. “ I mean, the doctors said this could change everything.”
“But what will the Muggle-born fathers think about this law, they believe that arranged marriages are old fashioned.”

“I know that, but I can’t go against the Ministry, now help me sort these out, and we will call each of them to my office. I want to keep this as civil as possible.” The Professor nodded, and they started to separate the scrolls. An hour later they finished, and decided to start with the Gryffindors. Hermione Granger was busy in the Library when Professor McGonagall tapped her on the shoulder. Harry and Ron both looked at eatherther wondering what the Deputy Headmistress wanted with their friend.
“Miss Granger could you follow me?” she asked Hermione.
“Of course.” She got up, and followed her out of the Library. Hermione didn’t know what she wanted, and wondered if she had done something wrong. She didn’t see how. The Professor said the password, and turned to Hermione.
“The Headmaster will see you,” she told her. Hermione nodded, and stepped on the moving staircase. She had no idea what would happen, but she could at least see what he wanted.

“Enter,” Dumbledore called when Hermione knocked on the door. Hermione ed ied it, and when he saw her, he told her to close the door. “Please Miss Granger, sit down.” Hermione sat, and noticed two scrolls on the table with a leather pouch. “Now Miss Granger, I just want you to know you’re not in trouble, so don’t worry.” She nodded, and he continued. “The Ministry has discovered there is a disease spreading through the Magical world.” Hermione gasped.
“Are the Professors all right, the students?” she asked fast. Dumbledore held his hands up.
“Don’t worry they're all fine, as this only pops up when a mother is having a child. There have been a record number of stillborns, squibs, and barren witches.

The Ministry has seen fit to pass the Marriage Law. It states that a witch of marrying age is to be married to a pureblooded wizard. Now, I have married two witches so far into families of wizards here in Hogwarts. The castle, of course, has been fitted for them with separate quarters.” Hermione thought about what he was saying. Did they expect her to marry a man she didn’t even know? She hated to see what kind of wizard the Ministry would see her fit for. She wanted to go out there in the world and see it, then think about settling down.
“Now, this Law is out of my hands,” he told her. “Whatever the Ministry does is their decision. I had a hard time getting reinstated, and I know better than to go against Fudge.”
“Can’t the wizard say differently?”
“No, the head of the household is the one who decides for the wizard,” he told her. Hermione bit her lip and Dumbledore knew that she hated this.
“So how long do I have before I have to decide?”
“You must have the ring on your finger when you leave, that’s what’s in the pouch, now these two scrolls came in, and they are magical sealed.

When you open them, they will tell you the name of the wizarding family that has decided, and all you have to do is decide on which of the two that you want. You sign and the contract turns silver, then it shoots back to the Ministry. If you want to know it shoots awfully fast.” Hermione giggled at what he had said.
“Well, I guess it won’t hurt to see who decided on me,” she told him. He pushed the scrolls to her, and she opened the first one.

“I, Brian Thomas Snape, speak for my son, Severus Salizar Snape, and hereby seek one, Hermione Isis Granger, to be considered as his wife.”

Hermione’s mouth dropped open, and she showed the Headmaster. He looked completely shocked.
“I guess we found out your middle name,” Dumbledore joked.
“For your information, mum thought Isis was a pretty name for me.”
“Okay, sorry for saying that.” Hermione smiled, and told him she forgave him. She placed the parchment down and opened the next one. “I, Lucius Martian Malfoy, speak for my son, Draco Jim Malfoy, and hereby seek one, Hermione Isis Granger, to be considered as his wife.” Hermione sneered at the letter, and handed it to the Headmaster. He looked at her and noticed that she wasn’t a fan of this.

“There is no way I’m marrying that boy,” she spat. “He hates me, and I hate him.”

Dumbledore looked at his student, and wondered what kind of decision she was going to make. He decided to lend a few words on the subject of Snape.
“He is a good man,” he told her. “He has been through a lot.” Hermione knew he was right on that. He looked at both parchments, and pulled the one Severus's father sent her. She took out her quill, and signed her name in fancy scroll. The contract turned silver at once, muchmuch to the Headmaster's words it shot forward causing Fawkes to duck for cover.
“You were right, it does shoot out.” They both laughed at what happened, and then Dumbledore pulled out the ring. Hermione had never felt more nervous in her whole life. He slipped it on and it changed to fit her ring size.

“Well Mrs. Snape, I believe that concludes our business.” Hermione made to get up, but the Headmaster told her to hold it. “You will sit at the staff table next to your husband for one night, and then you can join your friends at the Gryffindor table for the next.”
“Ya if I have any friends.” The Headmaster looked at her and then told her that she could leave. Hermione left his office, and was joined by Professor McGonagall. Hermione guessed she wanted to know whom Hermione had chosen.
“So who did you choose?” Hermione looked at her and then said.
“From now on, you can call me Mrs. Snape.” The Professor fainted.