Just Around The Corner

Chapter 1

"What?!" Severus's outraged exclamation shook the house as he crumpled the sides of most recent Daily Prophet in his clenched fists. Written across the paper, it read,

Ministry Passes New Marriage Law!

Calling all single wizards! Get ready to stand at the altar, and say some vows cause we're all getting married! According to a new law, passed just this morning, all eligible witches and wizards are to be matched via Pura Vinculum and married by the Ministry. Talk about romantic.

"We wish it had not come to this, but there is no doubt that the population of the wizarding world is diminishing. We have to do something now, or we could go extinct. I can only hope that those involved understand how truly saddened the ministry is that it has come to this, come to taking away people's rights to marry whom they love." Said Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Saddened?" Severus scoffed. "You may be saddened, Shacklebolt, but as for the rest of the ministry? Doubtful." He threw the paper into his fireplace and called on his house-elf, which he'd inherited when he'd finally been able to claim his Prince inheritance.

"Bailey." As soon as the name fell from his mouth, the elf was upon him.

"Yes, Master Snape?" The tiny elf looked up at him with big eyes.

"Send a response to Mrs.Weasley. Tell her that I will be arriving at noon, sharp," he said. Meanwhile, at Grimmauld Place, Hermione sat in her room.

She shook as she read the paper.

But that's not all! It's not the just all the single wizards that get to get matched up! If there are couples out there that aren't already engaged or married, they get to go in and see if they match with Pura Vinculum. If not, they'll get split apart. Talk about a rip off.

Even those who have partners still have to be matched... She thought, the paper crinkling in her fists.

"Hermione, dear, come to the kitchen please!" Molly called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming!" Hermione called back. As she left the room, she threw the paper into the fireplace out of a small burst of frustration. When she made her way into the kitchen, she found herself in the midst of the whole Weasley clan and the Order.

"Hey 'Mione. You read the paper yet?" Ron asked as she made her way over to him. She nodded.

"Great! We don't have to explain that bit," Molly said cheerily.

"I would like to know why we've all been summoned here," Snape drawled behind her.

"Well, I figured we should match up beforehand amongst ourselves so that we won't get paired with total strangers. Now, Harry, Ginny, you're up first. I've already charmed the quill so all you have to do is write your names and see what happens," Molly said.

Harry and Ginny obliged. They quickly wrote each other's names, and celebrated when the ink glowed a brilliant gold.

"Beautiful!" Molly exclaimed, shooing the two out of the room to make it less cramped in the small kitchen.

"Hermione and Ronald, you're next," she said. Hermione felt nervous as Ron scrawled her name sloppily and handed her quill. She wrote his name by her's and felt her heart sink as the words turned a murky, coppery color.

"What does that mean?" Ron asked, oblivious as to what the color of the words meant.

"It means you and Ms.Granger are an awful match, Mr. Weasley," Snape scoffed, "Not that I needed the spell to tell you that." His signature smirk/sneer on his face.