the marriage stone (Discontinued)

Chapter 43 What are Friends For

"Well, how do we know he didn't change the Conscriptus?" Harry demanded.

"Because he inherited while he was locked up in Azkaban," Ron told him. "You have to go to the Department of Bloodline Inheritance to change a Conscriptus - something Sirius can't do while he's on the run from the Ministry. He's stuck with whatever nonsense his parents agreed to."

Something occurred to Harry. "Well, how do they expect Sirius to marry anyone while he's on the run?" he exclaimed, thinking he'd found a loophole. "Wouldn't it be illegal for the Malfoys to meet with Sirius for the wedding -they'd be harboring a criminal?"

"No," Hermione sighed, and shrugged when both boys looked at her. "I researched marriage ceremonies right after you got married Harry. I thought the words Dumbledore used were interesting. Draco and Sirius can actually marry by proxy. They don't even have to be in the same country."

"Well, what about the. . ." Harry broke off, uncomfortable about mentioning the subject he was thinking of. There had been so many jokes about his own marriage and wedding night, it still made him red with embarrassment just to think of it. But the one thing he had figured out, and had been brought home repeatedly to him, was that his marriage was considered valid only because everyone believed that Severus had insisted upon consummating it. "You know," he made a vague motion with his hand.

"Sex?" Hermione guessed, only to have Ron exclaim, "Hermione!" in protest of the word.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly! Consummation - is that a better word?"

"Much!" Ron said in irritation.

"Well, what about that?" Harry pressed.

"Actually, Harry, once Draco and Sirius were married, Draco could no longer be forced to testify against him," Hermione told him. "You can't be forced to testify against your spouse. Draco and Sirius could meet in secret and no one could do anything. Or there's even a more bizarre solution, though I don't think anyone practices it any more, but consummation by proxy is still technically legal."

Harry and Ron both stared at her in horror. "You're kidding?" they said in unison.

But Hermione just shook her head. "There was a time here in Muggle Scotland when the English nobility had the right to bed every new bride on her wedding night before her husband did. Marriage customs have always been rather weird."

Both Ron and Harry exchanged looks of shock, not knowing precisely how to respond to such a thing. It seemed bizarre in the extreme. "Well, who would they get. . .you know for the proxy thing?" Harry asked.

Hermione just shrugged. "Oh, it could be anyone with a close family tie. Actually I hate to say this but either you or Snape would be the most likely candidate."

"Ewww!" Harry shrieked and leaped off the bed, moving away from both of them. "Tell me you're joking!"

"Honestly, Harry," Hermione sighed. "I'm not saying either of you would have to agree - you don't. I'm just saying you would be likely candidates. I also said it isn't commonly practiced any more. The subject is never likely to come up."

"Then why did you mention it?" Ron shuddered.

"You asked!" Hermione exclaimed. "You two are impossible!" She gathered up her notes and books. "It's time for Hagrid's class. Let's go. We can finish this conversation later."

The three of them bundled into their heaviest cloaks and headed downstairs to the common room. As they passed through the warm common room a group of young girls who were sitting off in a corner all started giggling uncontrollably. They were watching Harry intently and when he glanced at them, they all looked away and burst into giggles once again. Harry just sighed and rolled his eyes in irritation. Ron smirked and shrugged and they left the tower behind.