Potions and Parchment Match

“I think that we should skip our wedding.”

“What?” the shocked witch asked her intended. “Harry, you don’t mean that! I thought that you wanted to marry me, that you loved me!” she cried.

“Oh Pans, sorry love, that’s not what I meant. I meant let’s skip the actual wedding and just have Kingsley marry us. I don’t feel like celebrating. I can’t think about anything but the shocked look on McGonagall’s face when Romilda shot the Avada at her. I wouldn’t feel right celebrating the day after her death,” he said pulling her into his arms.

Pansy felt her heart drop. She had planned her wedding to Harry Potter when she was a fourth year. Every single little minute detail had been planned and arranged way before she even knew he was actually going to marry her. She had dreamed of the day her father would walk her down the aisle and give her into the waiting arms of THE Harry Potter. Of course she had to hide that dream in the deep recesses of her mind, but it had always been there. She wanted her wedding day! She swallowed hard and planted a large smile on her face. “Of course, Harry! I completely understand. When shall we go see Kingsley?”

“Life is so short, Pansy. One moment you’re here and the next you could be gone. I don’t want to wait. Let’s go see him now.”

Pansy perked up. “Now?” she asked. “You don’t think he might be busy with the Romilda drama do you?”

“He floo’d me a little while ago and said he was working late in his office. I asked him then and he said he would officiate whenever we were ready.”

“Oh! I need to go change my clothes, and my hair! It’s a mess!” she said hugging him closely.

“You look beautiful to me,” he said, blushing.

“Oh, Harry, you’re so sweet! I’ll be ready in a second!” she said running out of the room towards her dorm.

After the cancelled wedding and then the impromptu memorial for Professor McGonagall they had returned to the castle. Many of the students were somber and in respect for their beloved headmistress most of the students were quite and respectful. It had unofficially been declared an evening of mourning for Hogwarts latest Headmistress.

There was talk about who would be taking over the position for her but nobody had come up with any real ideas. Professor Snape had announced at dinner that he would be acting as the interim Headmaster but that he had no intention of taking over the position permanently. He then shocked the school and announced that he had planned to retire at the end of the school year to pursue a career of research in the private sector. He declared that he had spent half of his life teaching the future witches and wizards to prepare potions and now it was his turn to research for himself. The war was over, there was peace in England, everyone was marrying and he too would soon be settling down and starting a family of his own.

The room had exploded with speculation of who his bride would be but Harry suspected whoever it was must be underage. He had told their potions class on the day of the matches that he was going to marry a Muggle and as he had not had a ceremony yet, nor had anyone seen hide nor hair of a fiancé it was safe to assume she was still underage. Harry blanched at the thought. Severus was old and some poor young witch would have to marry him.

He ran his hand through his hair and pushed his glasses further up on his nose. What had started out to be a wonderful winter day turned into hell. Hermione’s wedding had been ruined, his favorite professor killed, and his own wedding was called off. He would marry Pansy quietly tonight and take her away on their honeymoon a day early. He pulled a quill from his bag and quickly scribbled out three notes.


Hermione,
Pansy and I quietly married tonight. By the time you get this message we will be on our way to Spain for the Honeymoon. I couldn’t stand to celebrate after what happened today. I know you and Draco will fine as technically you are already married anyway according to wizarding law. We’ll be back next week. All my love to you. McGonagall would want us to go on with our lives and not mourn her for over long. –Harry

He folded the parchment and reached for another piece.


Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,
Pansy and I were married quietly tonight. We felt that this was not an appropriate time to celebrate with a large crowd of people. Minerva McGonagall was a true friend to me and I will not dishonor her memory by celebrating on the day after her death. Life does go on though and I know that she would want us to remember her fondly. Please know that I think of you as my parents and I appreciate everything that you have done for me. We leave tonight for our Honeymoon but we shall return in a week. –Love, Harry

He again folded his parchment and took out a third and final piece.


Dear Ron,
I am hoping that the owl will be able to find you and that you will receive this missive. I hope that you are well and are finding what it is that you need in your life. I wanted to tell you that Professor McGonagall was killed today when Romilda Vain sent the Avada at her. I know that you cherished her as much as Hermione and I did and that you would want to know. Pansy and I were married tonight in a quiet ceremony. I wish that you could have been here, standing beside me as my best mate. I am sorry for not stopping Fred and George and their prank, obviously it got way out of hand. I hope you can find it in your heart to someday forgive me and know that I will always count you as my best mate. –Harry

Harry took the three letters and tucked them into the inside pocket of his robe. He would send them out via owl from the Ministry. He felt like he owed and explanation to his friends and family and an apology to Ron. Now he could go ahead with his marriage with a clear conscience. He sat in the over sized red chair and crossed his legs. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes letting the images flow through his mind. He remembered the first time that he saw Professor McGonagall his first night at Hogwarts. She practically had to break up a fight between her and Draco.

He thought of the numerous lectures she had given him and more detentions than he could possibly even count. He remembered when she taught them how to dance for the Yule Ball and how she had embarrassed Ron. He also remembered how vehemently she had defended him when his name had been added to the Goblet of Fire. She had quietly protected him from Professor Snape by countermanding him and had given him the means to explore the thing he had loved the most about the wizarding world; flying.

He brushed a tear away and sat back up. He couldn’t do this now. The wound was too fresh. He couldn’t think about the kindly old woman who had been such a huge part of his childhood. He opened his eyes to see Pansy standing in the doorway looking radiant with a huge smile on her face.

“I didn’t want to waste my dress,” she purred. She was standing there wearing a flowing pink gown that was more of a Muggle style. It was cut low across her bust and showed off a large amount of cleavage. Harry wondered if her nipples were going to pop out if she breathed. The waist was cinched tight and then the skirt flowed out in a ball gown style to the floor. She was wearing a smattering of lip gloss and had pulled her hair back simply behind her ears. She wore no jewelry except his ring.

“You look amazing,” he said standing up.

“You think so?” she asked with a smile.

“Amazing,” he said again, not being able to take his eyes off of her. “Am I underdressed?” he asked glancing down at his plain robes.

Pansy grinned. “I think you might be over dressed. I like it best when you’re naked.”


Kingsley was sitting at his desk staring off into space when he heard a knock on the door. “Enter,” he said breaking away from his trance.

“Got a minute?” Charlie Weasley asked, popping his head in through the door.

“Charlie!” Kingsley said with a genuine smile, extending his hand. “Come in and have a seat. For you, I always have time.”

Charlie reached out and shook the offered hand and sat in the empty seat in front of the large desk. “This desk looks familiar,” he joked. “Where was it I just saw it?”

Kingsley rolled his eyes. “Nice one, Weasley.”

“I hope you washed it after Endora left,” he laughed.

“Is that why you came here to see me? So you could stare at the infamous desk?”

Charlie laughed. “No, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to rib you while I was here could I?”

“I would have been surprised if you did.”

“Some wedding,” Charlie said.

Kingsley instantly sobered. “Yeah, some wedding.”

“So what did St. Mungos say?”

“Miss Vain has not woken up yet. She was hit with several stupefy’s at once and it has put her into a coma. They are trying to wake her, but so far they have not been able to.”

“I wonder what that kid was thinking,” Charlie mused.

“The healer said that there were signs of a curse lingering on her. He said that could have been part of the problem. “

“What?” Charlie gasped. “A curse? What kind of curse?”

“It looks to be residual dark magic, perhaps left over from the war. She was one of the students that stayed at Hogwarts. She could have gotten it at any time. We’ve found several students who the Carrolls got to. They implanted long term curses on the students who were not cooperating so that they could gain control over them. The magic works in a way that it interacts with any natural anger that the student would feel. It then uses the natural anger of the student to propel a deep anger at anyone who goes against what has been programmed into them. Minerva would have gone against her in that she was expected to marry Neville Longbottom and when that didn’t happen she was sent away before she could act on this rage and release it on the ones she was truly angry at.”

“So the healers think that this was something that she had no control over and wasn’t really her doing?”

“Well it was her doing, alright, but because of the curse she lacked the normal inhibitions that a person would have and had no control over her anger. So she wanted to hurt Minerva, but usually when someone has dark thoughts that is all they are is just thoughts. She, however, is propelled to act on these dark thoughts. She can’t stop the anger once it has surfaced. The Carrolls used this to direct the anger at those that they wanted to punish but were unable to do so. Apparently this was a curse they used on their own without the knowledge or authority of Voldemort. This was their way of getting back at the Pureblood’s who they could not openly defy. By striking out at their children they apparently got a thrill vicariously.”

“That’s truly sick,” Charlie said in disgust. “So what happens to the kid now?”

“I’m not sure. It is an unforgiveable curse that she used, however, there were mitigating circumstances. I’ll have to think long and hard on this one. Minerva McGonagall was loved by all. This will be a hard one.”

“I don’t envy you your decision.”

“So Charlie, what brings you in her today?” Kingsley figured he already knew. He had gotten the notification several days ago that Narcissa Malfoy had taken the Potion and Parchment test and was matched with Charlie Weasley, and then this morning he saw that Charlie had performed the same test. He had been shocked at that match and could just imagine what the wizarding world were going to say about that one.

“I found out that I have a soul mate,” Charlie said.

“I saw the notice when Narcissa took the test,” he acknowledged.

“So what can I do about it? You know that this will never work. A Weasley and a Malfoy together? Nobody will leave us alone.”

Kingsley agreed that he had a point about people leaving them alone. “So what are you really asking me, Charlie?”

“Don’t enforce this marriage, Kingsley. I’ll go back to Romania and leave Narcissa here to her life. Nobody will ever know.”

Kingsley was quiet for a moment as he stared at the sun tanned face of the young man in front of him. “If you had asked me this even just yesterday, I might have ignored this marriage. God knows the wizarding world owes your family a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, but after this morning, I just can’t in good conscience ignore it now. By ignoring Neville’s commitment to Miss Vain a life was lost. I refuse to bend any more rules. I’m sorry, Charlie, but my hands are tied.”

Charlie thought for a moment. “If I am in Romania you can’t enforce this. You would lack jurisdiction over me.”

“But Narcissa lives here. She would be obligated to seek you out and marry you within the thirty days or lose her magic. As long as she lives in England she is under my jurisdiction, and I don’t foresee her moving any time soon.”

“Damn it, Kingsley!” Charlie shouted jumping up. “I’ll ruin her life! What can a bloke like me possibly give to someone like her. I’m a bloody dragon tamer! Look at my hands! Their as rough as leather! Look at me! I’ll never fit into her high society life, nor will she ever be content to sit home and be the wife of a poor man who spends all of his time outside working with animals!”

“Is that what this is really about, Charlie? Are you afraid of not being good enough for her?” the older man softly asked.

“I’m not good enough for her!” he shouted. “I’m poor and unrefined, and don’t know the first thing about fitting in with her friends!”

“You do realize don’t you, that all of her friends are now relatives? Harry married Pansy last night, she is the Parkinson heir. Draco married Hermione in a soul binding ceremony a week ago, last night was only a formality. You sister has married Blaise. Neville has married Millicent, and although Neville is not a family member to you, he might as well have been with how close he is to your brother and Harry. Even he and Ginny are friends. That was the point of this law. To combine families in a way that would destroy all the old prejudices. By the time that this is done, everyone will be connected in some way.”

Charlie flopped back down in his chair and thought. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“You and Narcissa were soul matched. You are soul mates. You never would have been matched if it you were not meant to be together. There is no getting around this, Charlie.”

“So what the hell do I do now? My job is in Romania. You know damn well she isn’t going to be content to follow me there.”

Kingsley leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Funny how you should mention jobs. I actually have the perfect job opening for you. Hagrid came in this morning and told me that he was leaving Hogwarts. Madame Maxime has finally agreed to marry him and he is leaving for France to be the Magical Creatures Professor at Beauxbatons. Hogwarts needs a Magical Creatures Professor and Game keeper. Are you interested? You definitely have the right qualifications and back ground.”

The red headed man was quiet for a moment and thought. He would miss his dragons and the excitement that came with the position. He would miss the friends he had in Romania as well. However, by taking the job at Hogwarts he would be able to be in England and have a more normal lifestyle. He would be closer to his family and Narcissa would be close to Draco and Hermione. He extended his hand to Kingsley. “I’ll take it,” he said with a grin.

Kingsley clasped the outstretched hand and smiled. “I should tell you one other item. Severus is retiring at the end of the school year and will not continue on as the Headmaster. According to the by-laws of the school if there are no eligible or willing instructors willing to take over as Headmaster then the President of the Board of Directors is appointed to the position. Narcissa took over as President when Lucius died. She is going to be offered the position of Headmistress.”

“Do you think that she will take it?” Charlie asked.

Kingsley shrugged. “Who knows. I gave up trying to predict anything around here anymore. Nothing ever goes as planned.”

Ron woke to the sound of tapping on his window. He startled awake and looked around. He heard another tap and looked outside to see an owl. Without thinking he got up and opened the window and as he was untying the missive he realized he wasn’t supposed to be found. He stopped for a moment and then swore when the bird pecked his hand.

“Fine you bloody pain in the arse!” he said to the owl. He finished taking the message and with a glare at the bird he slammed the window shut without giving the bird a treat.

He looked down and saw Harry’s familiar scrawl and smiled. It was alright then, it was just from Harry. He missed Harry, but not enough to go back and deal with the rest of the family. He tore open the message and quickly reading it, feeling his heart drop in his chest when he read about Professor McGonagall. He closed his eyes in pain for a moment and then crumpled the message. He couldn’t believe the old bat was dead. She drove his crazy for most of his life, but he had loved her. He thought of all of the things she had taught him and all of the detentions he had served for her. He remembered the night that he and Harry had stolen his dad’s car and drove it to Hogwarts and how angry she was. He thought that she was going to expel them but she hadn’t. As much as they had tried her patience, she had always forgiven them and helped them through the next mess. He smiled thinking how she reminded him of his mother. “Oh bloody hell!” he swore to himself. He had to go home and see his mother. He couldn’t let his anger be the last thing that he ever said to her. He couldn’t’ risk something happening to her and not telling her that he loved her. If the death of his beloved Professor taught him anything, it was that life was too short and unexpected to wait.

He threw open the door and stormed to the apartment next door. He banged on it until Kim opened it wearing her night clothes and a frown. “It’s a bit early for company, Ron.”

“I’m going back to England. There’s been a death. I need to apologize to my Mum as well. Life is short and if she dies before I tell her that I love her I’ll never forgive myself. I just thought you should know.” He turned and started back to his apartment but he stopped short when she called to him.

“Can I join you? I need to speak to my Mum as well.”

Ron smiled and nodded. “Alright, then. Hurry though, I want to leave right away.”


“Neville, don’t cry. It’s not your fault,” Millie said to her husband.

“It is my fault. I should have just married her. Lots of people marry people they don’t like and live with it.”

“Who knew she was going to go off the deep end. This is not your fault.”

“Millie, we’ve ruined two lives. First Ron goes and takes off and then Millie kills the Headmistress. Look what we’ve done!” he cried.

Millie snorted at that. “Ron’s leaving had nothing to do with us. He was mad at his brothers. Ginny told me he was happy to have the money and go on his merry way. He didn’t want me anymore than I wanted him. And do you know what Neville Longbottom? Romilda didn’t want you either! She wanted your money! She wanted what you could give her! That’s why she was mad, she was afraid she would be matched up with someone poor and not have the things in life she wanted. It had nothing to do with you!”

“I can’t help how I feel!”

“And I can’t help how I feel. This is not our faults. We did not say the words that killed the Headmistress! We did not force her to go off the deep end. We had nothing to do with it! She was obviously unbalanced. I refuse to take any responsibility for this, nor will I let you eat yourself up over it. We just have to move on. There has been so much death and destruction the last few years. If we’ve learned anything from it, it’s that life is too short to feel remorse for the actions others. I refuse to let this ruin my life or my marriage!” she said stomping her foot.

Neville smiled at his wife. She really was strong when she wanted to be. “Perhaps you’re right, Millie, but I still feel bad.”

Millie walked up to Neville and smiled. She pushed him so that he fell backwards into the chair that sat in front of the fireplace. “I can help you with that,” she purred. “I know exactly what to do to make you feel oh so much better.”

Neville felt himself get instantly hard. “I just bet you do,” he whispered. A second later he was naked and his wife was sitting on his lap kissing him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her hips around, creating friction against his erect penis. “Do you like?” she whispered.

“Hmmm…” he groaned. “But you have to many clothes on,” he said reaching for his wand.

She slipped her hand down between them and fondled his cock in her hand. “You think so?” she asked.

He flicked his wrist and she was as naked as he was. “Not anymore,” he moaned. He put his hands on her gyrating hips and lifted her so that he hovered below her slick entrance. “Now, Millie,” he demanded bringing her down onto him.

She felt herself open for him and cried out in pleasure when he fully impaled her. “But Neville, I wasn’t done teasing you!” she gasped as he pushed up against her.

“Yes you were,” he said bringing her down hard against him.

She felt his cock hit the back of her cervix and cried out again in ecstasy. “No I wasn’t!”

He pushed against her hips with his hands and quickly moved her up and down, forcefully taking what he needed. “Yes you were!” he ground out, barley able to speak.

She dug her fingernails into the soft skin of his shoulders and cried out, “Yes! Yes!” and felt her climax over take her.

He reached up and slammed her down harder and faster on him until he too felt his release. “Yes! Oh god’s, Millie, yes!” he felt his hot seed pour into her and felt the room spin. After a moment of a few deep breaths he said, “I told you that you were done,” he said with a contented smile.

Millie was too spent to argue.


“We won’t remember this as our wedding day. We were married when we pledged ourselves to each other on my parent’s front porch,” Hermione said into Draco’s shoulder.

Draco pulled her tighter and agreed. She had been so distraught the day before that Severus had given her a sleeping draught and she slept the sleep of the dead for the past twelve hours. They had just woken up in each other’s arms and she seemed better.

“I don’t want to ever think of it again. I can’t believe that she is dead. I can’t believe that Romilda killed her!”

Kingsley was here earlier and said that she was cursed and that is probably why she did it. She still hasn’t woken up from her coma though.”

“Cursed?” Hermione demanded. “Who would curse her to kill Professor McGonagall?” she angrily demanded.

Draco explained what the Minister had explained to him and she was quietly listened, not even interrupting to ask any questions.

“Wow!’ Hermione gasped at the end. “So really it wasn’t her fault.”

Draco snorted. “I don’t know if I would go that far, but obviously it wasn’t straight out murder like it looked like.”

“If she was under any type of curse she was obviously not in her right mind. What do they plan to do with her?”

“Nothing until she wakes up. Then I’m not sure,” Draco said nuzzling her neck.

Hermione giggled. “Today should have been the first day of our honeymoon,” she said. “Instead we’re here talking about death and curses. Will it ever end?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

“I hope so,” he whispered. “I say we get up and go, just like we planned. We’ll spend the next several days at the Chalet making love and forgetting the rest of the world. We’ll have a marvelous time, just you and I.”

Hermione smiled. “I like that idea,” she said.

A tapping on the window startled them both and then Draco got up and opened it to a small brown owl. He quickly gave the owl a treat and then shut the window to the cold winter weather and brought her the message. “It’s for you,” he said.

She reached out and took it and smiled when she noticed Harry’s sloppy handwriting. “It’s from Harry,” she said. She unrolled the message and quickly read it. She then passed it to Draco with a smile. “Harry and Pansy were married last night,” she said.

Draco read it and smiled as well. “I bet Pansy’s pissed she didn’t get her wedding day.”


A/N: There will be one more chapter, possibly two, but I think I can wrap it up in one, and then the epilogue...thanks for sticking by me through this story...For those of you that are reading my story, Professor You're Mine, I shall resume that one within the next week or so. I plan to finish that up this summer. I have a story that has been bugging me for the past year that I am dying to write about Lucius...it will be darker and more violent than my usual stuff, but hey, this is Lucius, right?