A Civil Union

Title:A Civil Union, chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own them, not at all. Just my OC's, whom I love.....


Normally, I enjoy the short walk home from the office. Today, with the fine snow falling, was the kind of day I looked forward to walking that one mile with Roberts at my side. The new court order had put a damper on my mood. I was not rude, but close to it. Roberts nevertheless bravely took my arm and we set out bundled in hats, boots, long coats, full winter gear.

I scowled and offered Roberts little more than grunts in reply to his cheerful conversation. He gently tried to prise more information from me about the order. I had nothing more to offer. I let him read the pages I'd been given, and that was the extent of what I knew. Tomorrow we'd wake a judge from his Saturday morning bed, and find out if I had any chance of beating the order.

What was it with court orders and my life?

The first court decree I received had come from the Council on Wizardry and Witchcraft. I had each word memorized. I read the decree each day for the initial six months it was in force. I could recite it line by line if need be.

"...by order of the CoWW...blah, blah...the subject of this declaration, Lucius Malfoy, shall conform to these rules and regulations or be remanded into the custody of the prison at Azkaban.

"Of the first point: Lucius Malfoy shall reside with the Keeper/Companions selected by this body. The Keeper/Companions referred to in the following as Companions, are Mr. Benjamin Charles, auror, and Mr. Tobias Roberts, auror."

"Of the second point: At least one of the said Companions will be in close proximity to Lucius Malfoy at all times while the subject is conducting business, remaining within ten meters.

Of the third point: At least one of the said Companions shall be in attendance at the shared residence if the subject is at the location. If any person other than the subject and his mandated Companions are also in the residence, one or more Companion(s) must be within ten meters of the subject.

Of the fourth point: In situations deemed both public and social, at least one Companion must be within one meter of the subject.

Of the fifth point: In situations of an intimate nature, one Companion must remain in direct physical contact with the subject at all times. Situations of an intimate nature are defined as...," and the list went on in excruciating detail. I'd been both impressed and appalled at the imagination of the lawyer who wrote the point.

Point number five should make it clear why I had determined it necessary to remain celibate for the time since the order had gone into effect.The list of points continued.

"Of the sixth point:The subject will not apparate without the accompaniment of one or more Companion(s).

Of the seventh point: The subject will not procure a wand for purposes of magic.

Of the eighth point: The subject shall be limited to simple magics conducted without the aid of a wand.

Of the ninth point: The subject shall not join any groups or organizations for the purpose of conducting magical acts.

Of the tenth point: The subject shall be required to report for monthly exam by a medi-witch or medi-wizard selected by this Council, and shall be required to support the cost of such services.

Of the eleventh point: The subject shall be required to avoid contact with vulnerable or untrained witches or wizards, or if such contact is unavoidable, the subject shall be required to maintain direct physical contact with one or more of the Companion(s) listed above. Vulnerable persons are defined as...."

I was a magical wild card. There was no better way to put it. Something, probably the out of control discharge of magicks during the last days of the war, had stolen my ability to direct and control my personal magic. When I lifted my wand anything could happen, from a perfect spell, to disaster. To make matters worse, I drained others of their magic, becoming a reservoir of seething power looking for a way out. The magic I gathered tended to release without warning, with explosive results. Having a wand made it worse. The wands would burst, becoming mini bombs, magically charged splinters are no laughing matter.

The order went on for a total of thirty-one points. My life carefully defined. In control. Now some imbecile wanted to force me into a situation that would disrupt all that. And that was quite likely in conflict with the first order which kept me out of Azkaban.

The mere idea of being close to a wizard as powerful as Harry Potter terrified me. If I sucked his power off and it discharged, the explosion was going to be catastrophic. Being the first order was under seal, the judge handing down the marriage order had no way of knowing of the terms. A can of worms.

I sighed as we approached the house on Canon Street. Benjamin had lit the lamps.

Warm gold light glowed from the many windows and out onto the walk in front of the house. I almost broke down and said, "Ahhhh." At the homey picture presented. But, I was feeling churlish. Roberts and I went up the steps and into the mudroom. We took off the outer layers, shook off the light dusting of snow, stomped our feet, and proceeded to the kitchen.

At the end of the day we habitually gathered in the kitchen for a cup of tea, and a chat on the days events. Crowded around the rough table, with tea and snacks, Roberts told the other man about the day. I propped my feet up and ate and drank while the talk wound around me, and what they, my Companions, could to do about the new order.

I couldn't help but think it had been a hell of a lot of trouble to go to to set the trap. Just to see to it I married Potter. Lots of effort with little gain.

I looked around. At the warm and welcoming kitchen, at my conferring Companions. I wondered why some one was out to upset my comfortable life. And whether or not they knew that upsetting it was dangerous.

ne'ichan
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