The Replenishment Decree

“Oh, my,” Hermione heard as she made her way to the kitchen Thursday morning.

“What is it today, Harry?”

“Seems like the Ministry’s officially extended the reach of the Replenishment Decree. Kikus Trecus has an article about it in the Prophet this morning, ‘Expanding on last week’s announcement, Wizengamot Speaker, Ebrehem Prewett spoke in the Atrium at the Ministry of Magic Tuesday evening. The crowd was filled mostly with Ministry employees and other members of the Wizengamot, though the press had been invited. There were representatives from this paper, the Quibbler, Witch Weekly, Le Cri de La Gargouille, and even The New York Ghost and The Wizard’s Voice. Prewett’s announcement was met with unsurprising support from the traditional members of the Wizengamot. Prewett shared that the Ministry would be adding language to the Decree that would require already married couples still in the child bearing years to produce three more offspring.”

“No,” Hermione gasped. “The Weasleys?”

“Looks like,” Harry shook his head slowly.

“I can’t,” Hermione dropped into a chair, not even bothering to pour herself tea. “Ten children. Can you imagine? Harry, this is an awful thing I’m going to say but...they don’t seem like they manage their...resources well. How can they add three more children to The Burrow?”

Harry had no response. “I understand that there are people in the Wizengamot with very...traditional views about marriage and procreation but how in 1998 can anyone think this is acceptable? The best way for our population to flourish is to make people feel safe. Not just feel safe but be safe. Instead they’re like, ‘hey, everybody pop out three babies!’ it’s just absurd!”

“They must’ve realized there are people who disagree and this is them doubling down. They’re not going to publicly tell you that you have to get married, they’re just going to tighten the noose,” Hermione said angrily, pacing the kitchen.

“What?”

“Well, how many people know you’re not going to get married this year?”

Harry folded his arms looking away and hesitated before answering, “a fair few.”

“Right. We wanted that. We wanted the Ministry to hear that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, did not support the Decree. Your refusal is one of the biggest parts of our rebellion. What if this,” Hermione held up the Prophet, “is their response to that?”

“Like they’re going to punish the Weasleys because I won’t marry someone other than Ginny?”

Hermione shrugged, “maybe?”

“Bollocks,” Harry slapped the table. “So, what do I do? I can’t let people get punished for me!”

Hermione smiled at him sadly and reached out for his hand. “Harry?” She waited for him to calm down and look at her. “This is pretty much what we expected to happen.”

“What? I didn’t expect this! I thought they would fold! I thought the Ministry would realize they’re wrong and just, I don’t know, say, sorry!”

“How are you really still so innocent?” Narcissa said, surprising the pair as she pushed into the kitchen from the sitting room.

“Good morning,” Hermione said, a bright smile on her face. “I didn’t expect to see you for breakfast!”

“I just wanted to pop by and remind you that I have an appointment this morning and another one this afternoon but I wondered if you wanted to have dinner together? Perhaps invite Harry, Andy, and Mafalda Hopkirk over in light of this morning’s announcement in the Prophet?”

“I remembered but I do appreciate you being so thoughtful,” Hermione stood and wrapped her arms around Narcissa’s waist, resting against the other woman, eyes closing of their own accord. She breathed deeply, feeling at peace with Narcissa in her arms.

“And dinner?” Narcissa said quietly, pressing a kiss to the head tucked into her neck.

“Lovely idea. Sounds perfect...Mafalda Hopkirk?”

Narcissa chuckled, “I wondered if you’d ask about that. Remember last week when we ran into her in the Ministry?” Hermione nodded. “She didn’t seem very happy about the Decree herself. I think the three of us should invite her over for a discussion. See where she stands.”

“I’m in,” Harry said quickly.

“Then, I repeat, lovely idea. Sounds perfect.”

“You’re more than welcome to spend the day working in your study at Black Manor if you’d like, darling. I know it’s not completely done but we did get a good bit of it squared away yesterday. Pep and Filly can help if you need to move any other furniture.”

“You don’t mind?” Hermione asked, sounding unsure, looking up into Narcissa’s eyes.

“Not a bit,” Narcissa smiled and pressed a kiss to Hermione’s lips. “And if I have time between my appointments I’ll pop back home. Maybe we can have lunch together.”

“That would be great, then, Narcissa. I’d love to get some reading done for Defense Against the Dark Arts and also work on the wedding planning schedule,” Hermione laughed realizing how silly those two things sounded together.

Narcissa smiled, too, before turning and pulling a chair out for Hermione to sit back at the table. “I, um,” Narcissa stopped to take a very deep breath, “I’m going to go against all of my upbringing and just invite myself right to your table. I have time to stay and join you for a cup of tea before my first appointment. Would you...I mean...is that something…”

“I’d love that,” Hermione smiled, her hands pressed to the center of her chest, as if she needed to hold her heart in place.

“Harry, another cup?”

“Alright then, Narcissa, thanks,” he smiled as she made her way to the stove. “The tea things are all in the cupboard to the right of the cooktop. Just wondering, have you heard from Draco at all? Are they enjoying the trip?”

“Not even an owl, actually,” she laughed a bit. Narcissa did everything with magic and sent Harry and Hermione’s cups floating back to the table ready to drink. She carried hers over and sat beside her fiancée, subtly sliding her chair closer to Hermione and resting her left hand on Hermione’s right thigh beneath the table.

“So, how were the gardens yesterday?” Harry asked. He hadn’t seen Hermione to ask after she had gotten home.

Hermione slumped in her chair before answering, “I don’t think I even have words to describe it, Harry.”

“Kew Gardens was beautiful, as always and the private tour of the greenhouses at the University of Cambridge was impressive,” Narcissa smirked.

“Pff,” Hermione laughed, “I wasn’t thinking any of those words.” She turned and pressed a kiss to Narcissa’s cheek. “I was thinking more along the lines of amazing, perfect, romantic, beautiful, incredible.”

Narcissa tried to hide her pink cheeks behind her tea cup...it didn’t work.

“Well done, Narcissa,” Harry winked. “You could write a book on romantic dates. You two have been doing this for a week and I’ve never heard someone gush so much about how many perfect days they’ve had.”

“Well, it’s not really, I mean to say...it’s easy. I want to do things with Hermione that make her smile and make us happy together. We also had the purpose of looking specifically for flowers yesterday but I knew she would particularly enjoy the gardens so...it was easy to choose. If I were planning a day with someone other than Hermione I wouldn’t do the same things I do with her.”

“So, if Hermione were interested in, say, Quidditch, what would you do with her?” Harry smiled.

“First of all, let’s all just be grateful that she’s not because I’m not a big fan of sport watching myself. However, were Hermione to suddenly confess that she simply adores Quidditch and completely fancies the Holyhead Harpies, I’d, I don’t know, certainly make sure I got tickets to a match. Good tickets where we could sit in seats with an excellent view. But I’d also do something totally unexpected like find the place where Quidditch was first played in Britain and go there that morning or afternoon before the match. I’d, uh, make reservations for after the match at whatever local pub or restaurant the team members are likely to frequent. I’d get her a scarf in their team colors. I’d know the names of all the players and the coaches before we went if that’s something Hermione was interested in.”

“But she’s not,” Harry said, eyes narrowed.

“No, she is not,” Narcissa stated.

“So, you thought of all that just now. On the spot?”

“When you’ve spent time thinking of other ways to, hmm, show someone you...care for them, then these ideas come more easily,” Narcissa said evenly.

“Hermione’s interested in-”

“I know what Hermione’s interested in, Mister Potter, thank you,” Narcissa, grinning, cut Harry off. “We’re not going to discuss it because I have spent a great deal of time thinking about future days with Hermione and I fear that I am not a good enough secret keeper to discuss this in front of her without giving things away.”

“So, there are things to give away,” Hermione asked with great interest, peering up at Narcissa with a grin on her face.

Narcissa kissed her, smiling into her lips. “Nope, nothing.” Narcissa sat up, removing her hand from Hermione’s thigh and wrapping her arm around Hermione’s shoulders instead, “Harry, tell me, how’s Ginny doing at Hogwarts?”

Harry just laughed.

The trio continued to tease each other and leaf through the Daily Prophet, commenting on the articles they found for another half hour before Narcissa had to leave.

“Hopefully I’ll have time to meet you for lunch, otherwise you can always ask Pepper or Filly to help you find something at the Manor,” Narcissa said, squeezing Hermione’s hand as they stood just inside the front door.

Hermione lifted up on her toes a bit to kiss Narcissa once more before agreeing about lunch. “If you can’t make lunch, I’ll see you this afternoon before dinner?”

“Absolutely,” Narcissa traced her fingertips along Hermione’s jaw. One more kiss before she disillusioned herself and left.

Harry stepped out of the kitchen after he heard the door shut and found Hermione leaning back against it, a smile on her face, her eyes closed. “You’ve got it bad, Granger.”

“Yep,” she grinned at him, bounding up the stairs, two at a time. “I’m going to gather a few books and things and go to the Manor to study up! See you for supper, Harry!”

He just laughed again and followed her up the stairs to his own room to do his own reading. The Ministry may have relaxed the standards for Aurors but Harry had no intentions of starting the job unprepared. He was determined to read every book they recommended before his first day. How could he be responsible for stopping witches and wizards who broke the laws if he didn’t know the laws? Just as he sat at the desk in his room, he heard Hermione traipsing back downstairs on her way to Black Manor for the day. She should just move in there, already. She’s over there every day as it is!

Narcissa quietly closed the door behind her as she entered Tiffany’s, smiling at Katalina.

“Welcome, Miss Black. Come on back to the consultation area, I have a few design ideas to discuss with you,” Katalina returned the happy expression, gesturing toward the rear of the shop.

Nervously, Narcissa nodded and resumed the seat she had taken only days earlier.

“How have you been, Miss Black?”

“Well, thank you, Katalina, and yourself?” Narcissa was grateful to be able to fall back on her dutifully ingrained manners.

“Quite well, myself. I’m very excited to show you a few of these design ideas. Before we look through them, though, I just want to review some of the information I based these on,” Katalina paused, looking at Narcissa for confirmation before she continued.

“Understandable, proceed.”

Katalina set a thick, leather portfolio on the table in front of herself before speaking. “I understood from our conversation that Hermione, your fiancée, is going to be using her time this year to finish up some studies at Hogwarts? Studies she wasn’t able to complete last year as she was - quite literally - saving us all from you-know-who, right?” Narcissa nodded. “And, I also understood that, after she completes that, she will probably be looking into a career at the Ministry? In government?”

“I believe so,” Narcissa nodded again, smiling a little and saying, “in her heart, she truly has a deep desire to see justice done and equality happen for all creatures. I think that will lead her to Governance and Politics.”

“Thank you. Now let me tell you a little bit about the ring choices I’ve worked up for you today. None of them are currently made, none of them are set the way I’ve designed them, they are all able to be altered and adjusted to suit your tastes and choices. I have six ideas here. I’m going to show you the first three that I actually, in light of the information you just confirmed for me, do not necessarily recommend.” Katalina opened the leather portfolio she had and laid out three images side by side.

“Hmm,” Narcissa intoned. “Can you explain why you wouldn’t recommend them? They’re all beautiful engagement rings.”

“Thank you,” Katalina flushed. “They are all definitely eye-catching. These are the three larger rings I designed for you. They are intended to catch the eye. However, a woman with a career in government and politics does not necessarily want to wear a ring that’s going to draw that much attention. Especially when you consider how big a statement the wedding ring next to it will have to make.”

“Of course,” Narcissa nodded, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward. “That makes so much sense. Also, Mione isn’t really a...big...jewelry wearer. You know?”

“Understood. Let me show you two others. They may be more to her style and yours,” Katalina grinned. She pulled two more images out of the portfolio and slid them toward Narcissa.

Narcissa tapped one, her brows drawn. “It seems off-balance?”

“Ah, that particular Cathedral cut is intended to be paired with…” Katalina pulled out her wand and tapped the paper, “revelio this Wedding Band in the pavé style. The engagement ring by itself can seem off-centered, but it locks into the band once they’re paired. I specifically included rings such as these because you will have such a short engagement period. Sometimes people are engaged for years before marrying and an unbalanced ring can be odd but for someone who would only wear it alone for a few months, I would consider it.”

“That makes sense, thank you for that consideration. Unfortunately, I simply do not prefer that ring itself. I do like this other one, though. What does this say? The Baguette?”

“Yes! I like the Baguette style setting as well! I’m rather glad you like it because I have one more ring to show you and it’s similar to the Baguette style but a vintage setting.” Katalina removed one last image from her portfolio and placed it carefully on the table. “It’s a Filigree and Vintage setting in a traditional gold band using only perfect diamonds, of course. The metal can be changed to platinum, silver, rose gold, whichever you prefer and the stone certainly doesn’t have to be a diamond if you’d rather something else there, as well.”

“Diamonds. Definitely diamonds. And gold, I think. Can it be engraved?”

“It can. What would you like it to say?”

“I’ll get back to you on that. How quickly would you be able to get this done?”

“How quickly do you need it?”

Narcissa blushed and looked out the front window, “Well, Hermione’s birthday is next Saturday, the nineteenth, so I was hoping by then?”

Katalina took a deep breath. That was a quick turnaround. “It would depend on the spellwork, Miss Black.”

“Um, I don’t, um. I don’t want any spellwork?” Narcissa said with great uncertainty in her voice.

“I don’t understand. We’re a magical jeweler. Our base price comes with two standard spells and, certainly, you were poised to go for the Elite?”

Narcissa clasped her hands together nervously, “I apologize for misleading you, Katalina. I did not intend to do so. Let me be completely honest. I came here to Tiffany’s because I think it’s important for us to support local businesses. I think there’s a chance if Hermione and I shop here, it might encourage more people to shop here and with the big boom in the wedding business coming up, I thought it would be good for Tiffany’s. I did not come here because I want my future wife to have a ring that magically manipulates her emotions or turns her into a mindless automaton.”

“Okay, woah. None of our Charmers would do that. I don’t know what you’ve heard but we don’t cast anything like that here.”

“My apologies but I have seen it with my own eyes, Katalina,” Narcissa spoke much more quietly, leaning toward the other woman, “I spent my entire life until just a few months ago immersed in pureblood society. I’ve witnessed many women subdued into mere shadows of themselves by magically imbued trinkets from their husbands, their in-laws, even their own parents. I won’t do that Hermione.”

“Narcissa, that’s awful,” Katalina said, gently placing her hand atop Narcissa’s, “I swear, none of those ‘trinkets’ were purchased from me. And I would be quite surprised if they were purchased here at Tiffany’s. I honestly believe our Master Charmers have far more integrity than that.”

“Thank you for that reassurance. I suppose I don’t understand the purpose of the spellwork you’re offering then,” Narcissa looked away.

“One of the spells we offer is a simple alarm. So, if your fiancée were to find herself in danger, your finger would itch or burn. Another is a forget-me-not, we call it? She can send you a sort of wave of love if she thinks of you while twisting the ring around her finger.”

“Oh, that’s not at all what I thought you meant earlier. I’m so sorry,” Narcissa offered. “I thought you meant compliance spells or calming spells, both of which I’ve seen used on women.”

“Yes, I do believe there are jewelry stores that still utilize those barbaric customs. Shameful, though, if you ask me,” Katalina said in confidence as she leaned closer to Narcissa. “If I ever found out someone used a spell like that on my jewelry I’d leave him or her faster than I could say goodbye.”

Narcissa grinned, nodding at the other woman in agreement. “As you well should. Everyone deserves autonomy. You know, I think I’m going to add that to my list,” she narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

“List?”

“Oh,” Narcissa sighed and rolled her eyes at herself, “it’s something Hermione and I say. She just has so many brilliant ideas about the world around her and so many avenues of justice she wants to explore. I told her she should keep a list and choose which battles to fight when. I think bewitching jewelry and giving to unknowing and unsuspecting women is going to go on my list of wrongs to right in the world.”

“You want to change the world, too?” Katalina grinned.

“Hermione makes me want to believe I can,” Narcissa blushed once more. Clearing her throat, Narcissa tapped the image in front of her once more, “I do believe this ring would look perfect on my Hermione. Have you seen her?”

“I have. Your Announcement in the Prophet was beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Narcissa smiled. “Do you think it’s too traditional to go with gold?”

“That’s an interesting question. I do think the classic choice for an engagement ring is yellow gold and diamonds. Is there a reason you don’t want to give Hermione a classically designed ring? They have withstood the test of time,” Katalina replied evenly.

Narcissa pressed her lips together in a slight frown, glancing away. “I think...I’m trying to avoid making choices that are traditional because I don’t want Hermione to think I’m trying to repeat my first marriage. I’m not. This is wholly different.”

“And was your engagement ring yellow gold with a diamond?”

“Slytherin engagement rings tend to be silver with oversized emeralds or black opals haloed with diamonds. Mine was an emerald. Lots of diamonds.” Narcissa rolled her eyes.

“So, if there’s nothing in your past preventing you, don’t allow yourself to get caught up in being different. Sometimes, it’s okay to stick with tradition. Especially if you think this ring would look good on your fiancée because, in the end, you two are the ones who matter.”

“You’re right, of course. Thank you, Katalina. I...I’m going to give this ring to Hermione,” Narcissa whispered, tracing the outline with her index finger. “I’d like to request the simple alarm spell you mentioned earlier as well but, I just need to know, if Hermione doesn’t like it. If she doesn’t want the alarm, can you remove it?”

“Absolutely. Spellwork can be removed if you bring the ring right back here.”

“And...and if she likes her ring can I bring her back here to look at...at Wedding Bands together?”

“I hope you will,” Katalina smiled gently. “I’ll owl you next week when the ring is ready. This is the base price.” Katalina pointed to a line of text on the picture. “Engraving will cost a bit extra. There’s one other special spell I didn’t tell you about.”

Narcissa narrowed her eyes.

“We can make the ring in a size near what we think Hermione’s would be based on what you think and put a spell on it that it would automatically resize to her hand specifically when you propose and she accepts.” Katalina paused, “would you be inter-”

“Yes. That’s perfect. Thank you,” Narcissa smiled, slumping her shoulders slightly. “I was very worried about the sizing.”

“And now it’s taken care of. We won’t bill you until you pick up the ring next week. However, this is a far quicker turnaround than usual. There may be a charge for that?”

“Katalina, I have absolutely no concern for the cost of this ring. Whatever you charge me, I am paying. I doubt I have ever said that to anyone before and I doubt I’ll ever say it again but, here? Now? I mean it. I just want it to be...perfect.”

“And as soon as you let me know the engraving you want, it will be,” Katalina reached out and took one of Narcissa’s hands between her own. “Narcissa, the attention you put into this engagement ring is not often seen. Hermione is obviously deeply cared for by you. Take some time and think about the engraving. She won’t see it often, but she’ll always know it’s there.”

Narcissa smiled, tight lipped, keeping her tears in check thinking about giving a ring to Hermione. She nodded at the jeweler and turned to make her way to the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned back.

“I know what it’s going to say,” Narcissa smiled beatifically.

Katalina tilted her head and raised her eyebrows, waiting.

“Deep in my soul, always.”