Chapter 2
Without further delay, Rabastan began: "I offer you the hand of Octavia. She is young, obedient, beautiful and has excellent genes." Severus almost choked on his wine, he had been sure that the chosen one was Marjorie and had already realized over the course of the dinner that it could have been much worse.
The older of the two sisters was not the brightest light and it would not be difficult to hide his being a spy from her. He hadn't given a single thought to Octavia, she had only turned 17 a few weeks ago and was still more of a scared girl than a young woman.
"Isn't she still too young to marry?" he asked gently. "She's 17 and therefore ready for marriage! The sooner the better!" Snape realized once again that Rabastan had no paternal affection for his daughter. "If you don't want her, your decision! Mulciber sr. Was here two days ago and clearly showed interest!"
Severus felt a chill run down his spine. Mulciber Jr. had gone to school with him, they had even been friends, so Severus had also met Mulciber Sr. twice and had become acquainted with his cruelty. He must be over 70 years old by now. His decision was made in a flash, not for his own sake but to protect this very young girl from a brutal marriage, he nodded.
"What do you want for her?" he asked in an extremely businesslike manner, hoping that Lestrange didn't see his uncertainty. "Your loyalty, Severus! Snape nodded slowly. He knew he was going out on a limb, but he couldn't help it. "I take it you're asking for the unbreakable Vow?" he murmured and Rabastan nodded. With a snap, his wife entered the room and Snape stood up. With a queasy feeling in his stomach, Snape began the vow.
Together they re-entered the sitting room, where the two sisters were still sitting on the sofa, Marjorie with an embroidery on her lap, her sister with a book in her hand. "Octavia!" the younger one looked up and realized before her father said anything that her fate had been decided. "You will marry Severus Snape before the next full moon!" Her expression was blank, only her eyes sparkled with betrayal. She curtseyed: "It's an honor, Professor!" she said firmly, obviously not daring to look him in the eye. "The honor is all mine," Snape replied, fixing his eyes on his future wife.
Just four days later, Octavia Elenora Lestrange entered the Department of Magical Marriages at the Ministry of Magic. She was wearing a simple floor-length dress in a light green color. Her curls were elegantly pinned up and the regular clacking of her high heels on the tiled floor seemed like a calming salvation to the young woman. Almost remote-controlled, she followed her parents, Majorie beside her.
She had had four days to come to terms with the idea of her wedding and to pack up her life at Lestrange Manor. Now those same 17 years of her life were packed into five boxes and with a shrinking spell in the Cluch in her trembling hands. Suddenly her father stopped and there he was, standing in the middle of the small, brightly lit waiting area, Severus Tobias Snape, one of the most prestigious Potions masters in the British wizarding world, Death Eater and her future husband. His expression was inscrutable, cool, his posture upright proud, dominant, intimidating and his clothes black. She swallowed hard and her eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes.
An older wizard led the group into an neighboring room. Octavia moved unsteadily toward the two chairs in the center of the room. The ministry representative took a seat behind the ebony table. Just a few steps away from her chair and the documents that will seal her fate, the young woman felt a hand on her lower back, gently but firmly guiding her to her seat. The black hair of her future husband appeared next to her. He pulled out the chair for her and finally sat down next to it.
Would you Severus Tobias Snape like to take Octavia Elenora Lestrange, who is present here, as your wedded wife and honor her in good times and bad?" the older man asked. His voice was cool and calculated. "Yes, I do." "And will you take Octavia Elenora Lestrange the Severus Tobias Snape to be your wedded husband and honor him for better and for worse?"
The silence seemed to crush her. Her mother's voice screamed in her head, "Don't disgrace us!" and her father's breath on the back of her neck seemed to strangle her. "Yes I will," she whispered softly, her voice trembling only slightly. "So be it!" The Ministry representative performed a seemingly complicated series of movements with his wand and a glowing band of pure magic wrapped itself around the young couple's intertwined hands. Octavia felt a warm tingle run through her entire body as the ribbon wove itself into her skin. After a while, the older wizard nodded to Snape and he slowly leaned in and kissed her. It was an emotionless and purely symbolic, short kiss, but a kiss nonetheless.