Never Piss Off a House-Elf

Chapter 2: Can They Even Make A Law Like That?!


NEW MARRIAGE LAW PASSED! HAS THE MINISTRY GONE TOO FAR?!
-Rita Skeeter
It was announced this morning that Ministry of Magic was finally pushing through a law that has been discussed but rarely instituted over the past millennia. According to the Ministry, all purebloods will be forced to marry wizards and witches born to muggle families or of mixed birth. The law has been in effect since midnight, with owls filling the sky in protest and proposition.


The body of the law reads as such:
All pureblooded witches and wizards are hereby ordered to marry non-purebloods within one year of this edict. For all intents and purposes, blood is considered from the third generation back; that is, from the grandparents of the eligible wizard. From the date of the marriage, each couple is given one year to conceive a child. For those couples that prove infertile, healers and social witches will work with them to find donors or children orphaned by the war in need of parents.


What isn't clear from this edict is whether or not previously married and divorced or widowed witches and wizards are also under order to remarry, or if they will perhaps serve as counselors in some capacity to the newlywed couples.


But the most interesting part of this law has to deal with the Golden Trio. The Boy-Who-Lived will be considered, under this law, a wizard of mixed heritage, though how the law will be applied to him is yet to be seen. It is common knowledge that Ronald Weasley, best friend to the Boy Who Lived ~-- and destroyed He Who Must Not Be Named ~-- came of age this past spring, while Harry Potter himself came of age yesterday; however, Hermione Granger, former paramour of both Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter will not be of age until September of this year. We'll have to see how many proposals the young wizards get, and you'll read here which one beats the other to a pulp for muggle Granger's hand!


"I can't believe that they can pass a law like this!" Hermione screamed at the kitchen on the bright morning of August 1st. Her parents were seated across from her, still recovering from their ordeal at the hands of the Deatheaters just before Harry had killed Voldemort. "I mean, it is one thing to want to keep purebloods from getting any more inbred, but to put a timetable on the matches?!"


Jane Granger looked at her husband before she addressed her daughter.


"Hermione, what are you talking about? What law has been passed?" Jane said, seeing how red her daughter was getting in her fury.


"This! A Marriage Law. To help rebuild the magical community and bridge the gaps between the old pureblooded families and the half-blooded families, like Harry's, and the muggle-borns, like me. I understand wanting unity and tolerance, but according to this, I have a year to get married and pregnant!" Hermione screeched, shooting out of her chair and pacing the kitchen. She was a bit upset that this had happened before she'd gone to the Weasleys to finish the holiday. Molly would be able to help her find a way out of the law, or at least to find a way to hold it off.


"Hermione, stop worrying. You're not of age yet ~-- you'll only be seventeen this September. You've got a year to find a way to fix things," her mother said, trying to calm her daughter.


"Oh, Mum, Dumbledore and Remus explained this to you before. In the magical world, wizards and witches reach their majority at seventeen, not eighteen. And I don't even have until my birthday ~-- I'm already seventeen!" Hermione said, slumping down in her chair. She took some time to fill her parents in, and she was still fuming at the end of her explanation. "And look ~-- the buzzard claims I'm the 'paramour' of both Ron and Harry! Ron will blow his stack when he hears of it! You know how jealous he is."


The Grangers tried to console their daughter to no avail. It wasn't until Satchel spoke up that the perfect solution appeared. She'd just write to Ron, have Satchel deliver it, and then they'd be engaged. They could get married once they were graduated ~-- even though it would be cutting it close to the one year deadline ~-- and then Hermione could wait until just before their one year anniversary to get pregnant. Yes, she'd still be young, but between the Weasleys and her own parents, Hermione would have plenty of support.


Hermione ran up the stairs and dashed off the letter, Satchel at her side. She was careful in her writing, because it would be binding with Ron's signature, as she'd already signed it. Once it was perfect, Hermione sealed it with hot wax and her magic signature, handing it to Satchel.


"Thank you, Satchel. I should have thought of this before. Would you please deliver this for me?" Hermione said, the gratitude plain in her voice. She reached out to grab a hat, but Satchel gave her a strange look before he winked out. Satchel had worked at Hogwart's for a while, serving the previous Head students, so Hermione trusted him utterly. Besides, Dumbledore trusted Satchel, and Dumbledore's trust was not misplaced; even Snape's so-called deception was under the trust and eye of Dumbledore. She was looking forward to his classes, as she'd already gotten her schedule; she felt a tingle of anticipation.


This year's going to be the best, by far. I can feel it! Hermione thought to herself as she settled back to wait for the magic surge that would issue from the betrothal paper back to her once it was signed. Satchel would be back soon, and she needed to pack for the Weasleys.


Satchel's right, even though it sounds so arrogant ~-- this is a great idea. Maybe there's something to being the brightest witch of the age. There's now way this could go wrong. All Satchel has to do is deliver the letter. And then everything will be set.