𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐌. 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑶

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑.𝟎

❝CHAPTER 3 - MARRIAGE 3❞

❝They're nuts. The ministry has completely gone bonkers.❞

Y/N NOTT
1st view

WHEN GOING back to Hogwarts, there was always this random emotion you couldn't even explain, whether it may in awe, anxiousness, happiness, excitement, or maybe fear, paranoia. I don't know. Ever since my first year, I've always been this jumbled mess of feelings whenever I go back to this beautiful castle. Merlin, I just don't know why I'm so nervous. It's been 2 years ever since I came back and still it looks so beautiful, the light the moon sky enhanced the beauty of the structure, as if the damages of the war never happened. There were no destroyed pillars, no dead bodies, the walls looked the same. The entrance hall also looked like same as the time when we first came here as first years.

When we arrived at the Great hall, the nostalgia begins to hit me, it was like being in first year again and it was overwhelming and it almost brought tears into my eyes. The enchanted ceiling of the night sky reminds me of Hermoine, the first time I met her, she was telling me that the ceiling was indeed exchanted as the night sky according to Hogwarts: A History. I remember the time when I was sorted into a different house from hers, breathing out a laugh as I remembered a first year Hermoine waving at me from my house table (she noticed that none of my housemates wanted to talk to me as I'm a Nott, and their reputation to other pureblood, half bloods and muggle borns wasn't the best) she wanted me to go sit beside her and that's how I met Harry and Ron. Ever since that day, I made it my routine to sit everyday at the Gryffindor table.

As I was about to go to the Hupplepuff table, a hand grabbed my arm to pull me to where the Gryffindor table is. I pouted at the tight grip on my arm as the curly haired Gryffindor continues to drag me to a bench and sat me there, she flopped herself down beside me as the two boys set across from us. I turn to Hermoine and asked, "What was that for?" Hermione sighs, "You were going to sit on the Hupplepuff table," I lifted a brow and argued. "So?" the Gryffindor just crossed her arms, "So, you're just going to be depressed and lonely there and I wanted you to sit here."

Only shaking my head at my best friend, Harry was quiet as to Ron was just resting his head on the long table, complaining about food. I surveyed the whole great hall, noticing only a few familiar faces. It seems that after getting their letter, few of the six and seven years decided to not come back, as they probably had enough of this place or just didn't want to go back where such traumatic events happened. I mean, I probably wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for Theodore. My eyes roamed the teachers table and let out a sad sigh as I see Professor Slughorn sitting to where the past Potions Master sat.

Back in my past Hogwarts years when Snape was still alive, we both got along quite well (Harry and Ron thought I was mental). He wasn't that bad as everyone thought he was, I'd like to think that he was misunderstood. Yes what he did to other students (mostly Neville) was cruel, but if you know when to not mess up in his classes and proved to him that you're not an absolute dunderhead, he was a really pleasant person to talk with. I really liked him and respected him because he was brilliant as a professor (was a bit harsh). And he liked me because I was just so brilliant at potions, he simply adored me, in a you-have-my-respect-student way.

Anyways, after his death, his named was cleared with Harry's statement to the Ministry. We hoped it brought some peace to him with him now gone. The great hall gradually filled with students of all years and the Sorting started. Unlike in the past, we all clapped respectfully to the first years who were sorted into their houses (even to Slytherins). After the Sorting, McGonagall gave her speech and the feast began.

During the feast, the great hall doors slammed open as some Minister of Magic, Shacklebolt with few aurors entered the great hall. McGonagall stood up in shock, even from a distance, you could see her lips turning white from pursing them and steam coming out from her nose as she huffed from frustration. She composed herself, calling all the houses Head and turn her way to the back door, the Ministry people following her. The door was slammed closed and silence filled the hall. No one even dared, not even the remaining teachers to utter a small whisper.

Ron leaned close to us, "What was that about?" Harry responded with a groan and rubbed his hands on his face before running them up to his already messy mop on top of his head he called hair. "Bloody hell, I hope they're not bringing another Umbridge because I'm goddamn sure not making an illegal organization again."

I sniggered and Hermione slapped his shoulder for the bad use of language. Shaking my head I said, "It's impossible, we already have a new DADA teacher and it's not cursed anymore. Surely this year's DADA will last for 2 to 3 years or so," Harry hummed and continued playing with his steak. The great hall was silent until a loud shriek was heard from the back door where McGonagall disappeared with the Ministry and Heads. We heard loud voices of McGonagall,

"NO! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REPEAT IT! I will NOT let you get MY students involved! Not when I'm still Headmistress of Hogwarts!"

The strong voice of Shacklebolt responded, "But Minerva, we really need this for the Wizarding World-"

"This? We don't need this! Irrelevant, I say. Those students have been through a lot! H-how dare you demand such a thing-!"

It was silent again for a few moments, the food on the table already disappeared minutes ago, before the back door slammed opened with a red faced McGonagall, it was obvious to say that she was fuming. Professor Sprout was also red faced with tears rolling down her cheeks, the two other Heads looked sullen while the rest of the Ministry is blank. McGonagall stood onto the podium, her hands tightly gripping the laces of her sleeves. She addressed the whole great hall, "Students," she paused, breathing deeply to her nose then gently letting them out from her mouth. "I want all first to fifth year students to go back to back to their common rooms. I now call on to the fifth years to lead your younger years to your respective common rooms as the six and seven year prefects and head boy and girl are going to have to stay."

Confusion washed over the mentioned prefects, head boy and girl as they returned to their seats, the said fifth students were leading the younger years out of the great hall back to the common rooms. When the large doors of the great hall closed shut, McGonagall removed herself from the podium, she looked at the Minister with obvious distaste, sassily gesturing to the podium. Shacklebolt placed himself to the podium, he cleared his throat, his voice strong and firm. I frowned, "What do you think are they doing? Why want us stay?" I asked, worry flashed over Hermione as she answered, "I don't know."

"Due to the Second Wizarding War last 2 years ago, many wizards and witches were lost. Ministry workers, aurors, and others had died," Shacklebolt started, noticing the light atmosphere from the feast turned dark. I gulp as I remembered the the dead bodies I saw in these very hallways of this castle." The population of the Wizarding world has drastically decreased," The Minister continued. "Therefore we, the Ministry, had come to make a law," McGonagall tensed. "To make sure that our kind will continue to grow and continue to exist. We all agreed to make a marriage law."

What?

I look towards Hermione with the look of utter disbelief, the boys having the same look as me. The rest was silent with various of different expressions painting their faces."They're nuts. The ministry has completely gone bonkers." I muttered to myself, Hermoine heard and seemed to agree. "This marriage law is to all who's ages are between 18-28 and aren't engaged or married. Therefore this also applies to you, six and seven year students of Hogwarts." he finishes. The speech he made caused an uproar among the students almost all negative comments was thrown. Some remained blank and I was one of them.

"Rubbish!"

"That's really unfair!"

"What's the Ministry thinking? Oh wait, because they're not!"

Shacklebolt's firm voice interrupted, "Before you all argue with the Ministry's decision, you're not the only one who's dealing with this new law. Everywhere around the Wizarding world has to comply with this law, you were not the only one who has lost many of its people. The Wizarding world is at its peak of dissappearing. So we, the Ministry had no choice but to comply." this comment seemed to have no help of the situation as the students just became angrier.

"We don't care!"

"Rubbish!"

"SILENCE!"

The whole great hall turned to the Headmistress as she furiously wipe her cheeks. She continued, "I did not teach all of you to have such brash attitudes! You may not like the law, I also share the same opinions as you, but we don't have much of a choice!" it was silent after that. Professor McGonagall frowned, "Now please, students, let them talk."

A small woman with a white coat stood up beside the Minister, she had short black hair with square rimmed glasses. "The process of this law is to have the sorting hat on your head, and wait for it to chose your partner." she paused, "The way we're going to do this is by calling the girls by their last names in alphabetical order. Now, we don't expect that all girls and boys in this room will have partners, some may have already graduated or probably a few years older than you." I shivered at the thought of having an old man as my spouse."The Sorting hat is being taken cared of. The Sorting will begin shortly and will meet your future partners."

        

I only have a few words to say.

Some slytherins are misunderstood.

I'll make a whole speech about it next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one!

Please someone correct me with Shacklebolt's name I think I got it wrong.