Forced to Love by Nephthys Moon

Chapter 6 - The Final Contract

Ginny awoke on August 31 with a supreme weight of dread pressing over her heart. That evening she was due to report for duty at Hogwarts. It was also the last day for Contract submissions; she’d received only the one. Her choices were limited. She could either submit to the marriage to Zacharias Smith or to the hell of Azkaban. Shivering slightly, she dressed slowly, selecting her plainest work robes. She clambered down the stairs to the kitchen that held so many pleasant memories.

To her surprise, Hermione was there, sitting at the table and chatting animatedly to Mrs. Weasley. Noticing Ginny, she smiled warmly.

“I thought you might like some company,” she said.

“For what?” Ginny asked rather sharply.

Unfazed, Hermione answered, “For your blood tests, of course. The whole office is buzzing about it. Granted, they were sure Harry would hex Smith as soon as he showed up for work that first day, but since he hasn’t, the latest gossip is that you’ll jilt Smith and run off with Harry.”

“That’s absurd!” Mrs. Weasley declared. “Ginny will marry that nice Zacharias boy and be very happy, I’m sure.”

Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother. Since her father’s death in the war, her mother had gone from sharp as a tack to a bit spacey. She stood, gave her mother an affectionate hug and jerked her head towards her bedroom. Hermione got the hint, for she followed Ginny up the stairs.

“I’ll have the tests done,” Ginny said as soon as the door closed. “Hopefully, they’ll come back saying that Smith and I will have a houseful of Squib babies and I won’t have to marry him.”

“But then you’ll have an arranged marriage.” Hermione shuddered.

“Who’s worse than Smith?” Ginny asked grimly.

“You know,” said Hermione, “If you just went to Harry and asked him to Contract you, he’d do it. He’d even let you make the rules. You could live at Hogwarts and stay with your mother during the holidays. You’d never have to see him again, and at least it would be better than being married to Smith.”

“And you know this how?” Ginny asked speculatively.

“I know Harry. He’s stopped drinking, Ginny, and he’s an Auror now. The Ministry trusts him and Ernie McMillan says he’s the best in the department,” Hermione reasoned.

“Shows how smart Ernie and the Ministry are,” Ginny replied wryly. At that moment, an owl carrying a blue scroll flew into the room. “Oh, no,” she moaned softly. She took the scroll and the owl left. She resolutely marched down the stairs and tossed the unopened scroll into the roaring fire.

“Let’s go,” she told Hermione, who had followed her to the kitchen.

“Go where,” she asked befuddled.

“St. Mungo’s,” Ginny answered. Mrs. Weasley entered the room. She barely had a chance to wave to the girls before they had Disapparated. She sat in a chair and summoned her knitting.

Hermione and Ginny entered the wing devoted to the new, magical blood tests at St. Mungo’s. They hadn’t spoken as they walked down the corridor. Ginny knew that Hermione’s mind was focused on the legal ramifications in store for burning an official Ministry document.

It was no wonder she was surprised when Hermione spoke. “You know, the Contracts don’t burn. Didn’t you notice, at Harry’s, the blue page in the ashes of his fireplace?”

Ginny swore. She could tell Hermione was stifling a giggle. “Go on. Let it out.” Hermione laughed loudly enough to draw stares. Ginny chuckled.

“Miss Ginevra Weasley,” a young witch called from a doorway. Muttering, “What was Mum thinking?” Ginny crossed the room and entered the ward. Four plush and comfortable chairs lined each wall, a smiling witch standing before each one with a wand in one hand and a small vial of potion in the other.

Ginny was led to the first chair on the right. The witch stood before her, smiling in what Ginny felt was a very sinister manner.

“Now dear,” the elderly woman began, “If you will be so kind as to sit, we can get this done quickly and as painlessly as possible. Good girl,” she muttered when Ginny sat down. “Now, stick out your left arm, palm up. I’m going to place the tip of my wand at the bend in your arm while you drink this potion. A small prick of the skin, a simple Blood-drawing Charm and you’ll be done.”

“What potion is that?” Ginny asked apprehensively.

“Just a simple Blood Replenishing Potion. We need quite a bit of blood, you see.” A few minutes later, the procedure was complete. The elderly Healer tapped the wand and it closed. Ginny rapidly left the room. Hermione was still waiting for her turn.

“I’d love to stay, but I have to pack for Hogwarts,” she told her friend.

“Go on. Go home and read that Contract.” Hermione laughed and Ginny had to join in. Hermione knew her far too well.

When she arrived at the Burrow, her mother was placidly knitting and Winky had lunch cooking. To prove Hermione right, as always, a blue scroll lay unmarred in the ashes of the morning fire. Ginny retrieved it hesitantly. She unfurled the scroll and searched quickly for the name she knew she’d find. There it was, scrawled at the bottom of the page: Harry Potter.

***

The following week, Ginny received an owl in her study at Hogwarts. The letter informed her that the blood tests she’d recently had done had validated both of her Contracts and she was required to attend a Dispute Trial on October 1.

After reading the Contract, Ginny had climbed the stairs and muttered a spell to pack her trunk. She’d sent a letter to Abigail’s, the Potions shop in Diagon Alley, with a list of ingredients and supplies she wanted. She’d sent her trunk on to Hogwarts and joined her mother for lunch. Afterwards, she’d Apparated to the Three Broomsticks, now owned by the Patil twins, where the Annual Start of Term Meeting was held.

Batty old Trelawney, madder than ever, had been there, three sheets to the wind on sherry as usual. Viktor had looked at her appraisingly. Flitwick, still teaching Charms and heading Ravenclaw, had smiled reassuringly, obviously pleased to see her return. Marianne Bennett, the Transfiguration teacher and Brandon Willoughby, the Care of Magical Creatures professor had also seemed pleased to meet her. Professor Binns and Professor Vector had glanced at her disapprovingly, but Colin Creevey, who had taken on Muggle Studies, was grinning from ear to ear. Ancient Runes had been taken by an old witch, recently come out of hiding, Emmaline Vance. Professor Vance had spared her the quickest of smiles before returning to her conversation about Squib births with Viktor.

The meeting had been rather lengthy, but it had settled many questions certain members of staff had regarding Ginny’s return, Viktor especially. He was the only one who knew of the month she’d hidden in the inn above the Three Broomsticks. That had been the time she’d dated him, foolishly, she now realised. She’d read about Harry’s release from Azkaban one morning and gone to find Viktor, to tell him she must return to Romania, only to have him break up with her instead.

Ginny sighed. She’d had to coordinate with Viktor so that the N.E.W.T.-level students were being taught the same degree of defence and potions. That had taken most of the past week, and now this: a dispute trial between Harry and Smith. She wasn’t sure who she’d rather have win. Regardless, she’d spend most of her time at Hogwarts, but each professor was allowed a visit to their spouse every fortnight. She shuddered. The thought of spending a night with either of them every two weeks was terrifying. Perhaps she could just live at Hogwarts permanently? But no, it said something about that in her letter. What was it? She reread the letter carefully.

Dear Ms. Weasley,
The Contracts issued by Harry Potter and Zacharias Smith have been validated on the results of your recent blood tests. You are hereby summoned to a Dispute Trial on October 1 at 10 AM. During this Trial, the Contracting Males will present evidence to justify their claims and you will be required to make an argument for your choice of your suitors. A Ministry delegation of seven members of the Wizengamot will retire to decide upon the most suitable marriage for you. After this trial, you will have one month in which to complete the ceremony to legalise your nuptials.

As a Hogwarts Professor, you are granted special leniency in the cohabitation requirements. You must only reside with your husband during holidays. Throughout the remainder of the year, you are permitted to remain at Hogwarts and fulfil your duties there.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

Augustus Pye
Chief of Contracts

With a heavy heart, she left her study to join the school for breakfast. Her trial was on a Saturday, and she’d received word from Hermione prior to the Ministry owl arriving. Hermione’s Dispute Trial was at 8 AM the same day.

***

With a heart weighed down with leaden doom, Hermione dressed very carefully the morning of her trial. The Contracts Delegation would decide her fate this day, choose the man she would be bound to for the rest of her life, and she had no recourse. Giving the mirror a final glance as she smoothed her robes, she nodded in approval. Her hair was smoothed in to a neat bun, compliments of Sleekeazy’s, and her royal blue silk robes were immaculate. She Apparated to the Atrium and traversed the long corridors.

It was time.

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