Hermione Granger was fast asleep on Ginny Weasley's bed; both of them had been snoozing after a long night of giggling and mooning over magazines.

Ron and Harry were also sleeping, sprawled across the floor of the Weasley's living room; the whole house was totally entranced in peace and serenity.

Then, a shrill scream rang out in the direction of the kitchen and every inhabitant suddenly jumped at the noise.

Arthur Weasley, fearing for his family's safety, came running in with his wand drawn and ready. Ginny and Hermione were overtaken by the twins, Fred and George, who also had their wands bared. Bill rushed into the steadily crowding space next, Percy not far behind with his skewed glasses. Fluer came next, her silky blonde hair in curlers, spouting out French swear words as she went, shrieking for her husband. The commotion also brought in Charlie, who had been outside ridding the garden of the gnomes.

The whole house held its breath as the last to stumble in were Ron and Harry, with all the occupants of the premises now assembled they looked to the source of the dilemma: Mrs. Weasley.

She was white with fright, her eyes glued to a little article on the copy of the Daily Prophet she held before her.

"Molly, Molly dear?" Mr. Weasley said, looking at his wife anxiously. "Molly my love what's the problem?"

"Mum?" Fred spoke up. Mrs. Weasley looked up at her audience with tears in her eyes and laid the Prophet on the table:

MINISTER OF MAGIC PASSES MARRIAGE LAW LAST NIGHT

Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour passed last night a law to help eliminate the prejudice between Muggle-borns and Pureblood wizards. The center of much controversy, the marriage law has been argued as "inhuman".

To help ease the tensions that have been plaguing the wizarding community since, all Pureblood women and men will be ordered by the Ministry of Magic to marry a witch or wizard of mixed or muggle born descent.

"The transition won't be easy," Scrimgeour says at the Press Conference this morning. "But we know that it's truly for the better. We thank our brave young witches and wizards for cooperating. Also, with this whole war going on, we need more mixed blood or we'll simply die out." The Department of Marriages new head, Mae Owlwart also put in a word with the Daily Prophet.

"I think it's a terribly difficult thing to do, and so we think it's proper for them to not be forced to choose who they are tied to. It's simply too hard of a decision."

It's uncertain whether or not this law will stick, the war going on certainly will take its toll. (continued, D4)

Charlie looked up from the article to fix his murderous gaze on his brother, Percy. "Did you know about this?" he yelled at the surprised man.

"What? NO! No, no, no! I couldn't have! Charlie, believe me I couldn't have known! I would've informed you… informed the Order!" Percy stuttered in response.

Mr. Weasley looked grave as he studied the article. "It has got to be You-Know-Who's doing. Why else would they have done this?" Ron spoke up.

"I agree," Hermione said, her voice weak. "Odds are it's a move to weaken the Order, it said in here they'll be selecting… partners," she said it as she would utter an unforgivable curse. "For people, so I'll bet you they select Order members for the Death Eaters."

Fleur seemed in a rage as she took her side next to Bill. "But zey cannot do zis to zem!" she said. Bill put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm afraid they can Fleur." Harry said solemnly. Just then out in the garden a loud pop was heard and Remus Lupin burst through followed quickly by his wife, Nymphadora.

He was a taken aback by the sight he found in the kitchen but he quickly found they had already discovered the news he meant to deliver by one glance of the newspaper lying on the kitchen table. Tonks' eyes were very wide and she clung to Remus.

"What do you think that they're trying to do?" Lupin asked Mr. Weasley. The man shrugged helplessly as he polished his glasses on his pajama shirt.

As this was being said a shadow loomed on the backyard and a snowy owl dropped into the grass, pecking on the glass annoyingly. It carried two scrolls on its legs, and a few moments later, two more owls dropped down as well.

Tonks opened the door a bit and the owls flew in to rest on the shoulders of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Crookshanks growled at the owls that had intruded on his territory and Errol, the Weasley's old owl, looked up grumpily from his roost.

The three removed the cluster of scrolls on the owls' legs and found that each little piece of parchment was addressed to someone different in the room. "Ginny," Hermione said, looking up and handing the scroll to her friend.

"Charlie, Percy," Harry said, giving his out. "Fred."

"Harry, George," Ron said nervously before taking his. Mrs. Weasley started to cry again.

"Mum…" Charlie said. Mrs. Weasley shook her head and stood up.

"No! I cannot have this! You will not just be married off without rhyme or reason to the enemy! Arthur," she turned to her husband. "We need to call an emergency meeting with the Order."

"Wait!" Ginny protested. "At least let us read them so we know what is going on to the full extent." Mrs. Weasley looked at her daughter before sitting back down again and the teenagers broke the seals on their envelopes, dreading the contents.

Hermione lightly ripped open the paper and pulled out the folded parchment:

Dear Ms. Granger,

You have been counted under the class of Muggle-born, and due to the fact that you are of age, your husband has been selected for you. We are unable to provide a name at the moment but will send the name to you as soon as the technicality is settled.

Failure to comply will result in expulsion from the wizarding community.

Have a nice day,

Mae Owlwart

Head of Department of Marriages

Hermione looked up, her heartbeat quickening. She looked over at Ginny's face and saw tears running down it. The Weasley looked at her friend in despair.

"What did they tell you?" she pressed.

"I am paired with Fenrir Greyback." She said, sniffling. Hermione looked at her own piece of parchment and felt her eyes tear up in self-pity.

She tried to comfort her friend but to no avail. Ginny let loose a wail and her mother came and embraced her daughter.

"Oh hush now love, we'll fix it." She whispered to her daughter, heartbroken. She knew that the Order could only do so much.

"What!" Ron said, outraged. "Our sister is not marrying a werewolf-!" he stopped himself and turned to Remus. "Oh wait, Professor that's not what I meant…"

Lupin waved his hand. "It's okay Ron, I understand what you mean. Fenrir is an animal, and I personally will fight for your rights to not be forced to marry a man with Lycanthropy. It's unfair and inhuman to force a girl to take part in something that dangerous involuntarily." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Charlie took out his wand and promptly burned his piece of parchment, a furious look on his face. "Never, never in a million years." He said.

"What? Who what was yours?" Bill asked anxiously. Charlie shook his head in disgust.

"I don't even want to say it." He said, stomping out of the house and into the backyard again, closing the door with a loud whack!

Harry seemed rather flustered, he didn't even know the girl from his proposal. Fleur saw the name and her eyes widened.

"I know 'er, she ez from Beaubaxtons." She said to Harry. The boy nodded, looking as if he was in danger of throwing up.

Ron curiously looked over Hermione's shoulder and read the contents of her letter. "What do you mean they can't disclose your husband's name?" he protested. The girl shrugged.

"Maybe it's an office problem." She said meekly. The group didn't dwell on it too long, they were all rallying around Ginny and her unsettling turn for the worst.

Hermione's eyes wandered around the room to see a particularly incredulous face out of all those discovering their new spouses.

"Fred," Hermione said to the Weasley twin. The boy jumped and looked at her, his face, usually red and full of smiles, was grave and a ghastly white. "Fred, who did you get?"

Fred didn't say anything, he only looked at his piece of parchment then back to Hermione, looking utterly bewildered.

Just then something clicked in her mind and she reached out and grabbed the parchment from the stunned boy's hand.

"Hermione-!" Fred protested but fell silent when he saw that she wasn't going to give it back. Hermione's eyes scanned the piece of parchment for a hint as to what had startled the Weasley so bad.

"Oh!" she gasped before dropping the leathery paper and stumbling back a little. The room fell silent as Fred moved forward to catch her.

"Hermione! I'm sorry, it's not my decision!" The twin said, reaching out with freckled hands to catch her but she pulled away.

"F-fred!" she said, her eyes wide as saucers. George picked up the piece of parchment from the floor and also scanned it before looking towards the questioning group crowed around them. In a shaky voice he read the words written in the loopy letters:

"Dear Mr. Weasley," he began. Hermione was shaking her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You have been counted under the class of Pureblood, and due to the fact that you are of age, your wife has been selected for you."

"Hermione-," Fred tried again but she didn't want to listen.

George continued on, the crowd was waiting tensely. "Hermione Jean Granger is to become your wife by July 15th, a ministry official will be present to oversee the ceremony and place the appropriate charms on your wedding bands. Failure to comply will result in expulsion from the wizarding community." He said darkly. "Have a nice day, Mae Owlwart, Head of Department of Marriages."

Mrs. Weasley let go of Ginny to go stand by Hermione, who looked like she had a little better control over herself. "It's alright love," she whispered to her daughter's friend. "It's okay…"

"You're right," Hermione said bravely. "I could be wed to a Death Eater or worse." She took a shaky breath and managed a weak smile towards Fred.

Harry looked over at Ron to see tears of fury in his eyes as he stormed upstairs. He must be upset about his wife-to-be he told himself. The thought didn't trouble him too much as he watched Mr. Weasley apparate out of the Burrow to go call an Order meeting and then Mrs. Weasley sit down and begin furiously writing for a repeal of the marriage of Fenrir Greyback and Ginny Weasley.