Chapter 4
The Weasley clan had gone completely silent. (A feat to accomplish, really.) Save for the clang of Molly’s knife against her plate, the chattering of the oblivious toddlers, and the rustling of the grass, Hermione imagined you could hear a pin drop. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected Charlie to say (maybe, “Mum this is my boyfriend,” or “Mum Ognyan and I are moving back to Devon to start a new Dragon sanctuary,”) but that was certainly not it.
“He’s...you’re...his...what?” Molly stuttered in disbelief. All at once, the backyard exploded with activity, the siblings rounding on Charlie and releasing a spattering of, “You sly dog!”; “The old ball and chain then,”; “What do you mean you’re married?”; “Well that explains a lot,”.
“Mum,” Charlie started as he squirmed free of his brothers and grabbed his apparent husband’s hand, entwining their fingers. “Ognyan is my husband. We decided that we’d been together long enough to know what we both wanted so we got a license and went down to the courthouse.” The two men shared a sickeningly sweet look. Hermione could see Mr Weasley was still in shock, and Dromeda looked disgusted but tried to hide it. Molly was pale and shaking slightly at the news and Hermione wondered how open-minded the older wizard and witches were. She could understand some of the older generation having reservations about same-sex love (she didn’t agree with it or condone any kind of violence or discrimination against it but she did understand it) however, she wasn’t sure how that translated into the wizarding world. She supposed she kind of expected that with all the magical feats and discoveries the wizarding world had made, it would be more open minded.
“Well, this is certainly...unexpected.” Arthur finally got out. “Nice to meet you son, welcome to the family,” he added uncomfortably as he shook the taller man’s hand.
“The pleasure is mine. I have loved Charlie for quite long times and he is the best thing in my life. I do not know what I would do without him..” Ognyan replied as he gazed at the man being discussed.
“How...How long have you been together? Already married, and I’ve never even heard you mention him!” Molly snapped in a shocked manner as she looked her son down, fanning herself as she nearly fell into her chair. Charlie shifted guiltily as his husband glared at him.
“Where you just never going to tell them? All this time and you have said nothing!” He growled angrily.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you all, it’s just that I was nervous about how you’d react and every time I tried to bring it up it wasn’t the right time.”
“Charlie, just how long have you been seeing this...man?” Molly demanded.
“We got married last April, but I’ve been dating him since June of 1997,” he told his mother quietly as his groom glared angrily.
“I can not believe you have not told your family. Did we tell mine two years ago and you still insist to not tell yours? You stupid man. We will not have sex until you make this up to me. I can not believe you would do this, embarrass me in front of your family.”
“Please My love, I didn't want to keep the secret for so long. I was worried they would treat you badly, I didn't want you away from me. I’m sorry, you know I love you right?” Charlie asked as he hugged the bigger man around the waist. “Mum, dad, everyone, this is the love of my life. I plan to spend every day for the rest of eternity with him by my side as an equal, a partner, and eventually a fellow parent. Please, please accept him. Accept that I love him. Because I’ve been dreading having to choose between him and you, but I will choose him if I have to.” Charlie breathed out shakily.
“Oh, honey, you really think we’d, what? Throw you out because you have a husband? Charles Weasley, you are only in trouble for keeping this from us.” Molly told him angrily, if not a bit guiltily. “It’s so nice to meet you, dear, welcome to the family,” she addressed Ognyan.
“Did you really think we’d disapprove of him because he’s a man? Have we led you to believe we are such bigots as to disown our own son for loving another male?” Arthur told him in a hurt tone.
“No, dad, I didn’t. You didn’t! I’m sorry, it’s just that after what happened with his parents I just couldn’t... I was afraid I’d... I don’t know. It was lousy of me to keep this from you and I’m sorry.”
“What happened with his parents?” Ginny asked casually as she munched on a pudding Molly must have whipped up.
“They are not nice people. They disowned me for ‘choosing’ to love man. They said it was unnatural and unholy. That God would smite me where I stood. Yet, I stand, still.” Ognyan said to his sister-in-law.
“Well, I never!” Molly huffed indignantly. “We most certainly would never kick our Charlie out, and we gladly welcome you into our family Ogn-n-... I’m sorry dear, I’ve forgotten how you said your name?”
“It is Ognyan.”
“Welcome to our family Onion,” Molly stated with a big smile as Hermione and Ginny snickered at the Weasley matriarch’s mispronunciation of her son’s husband’s name.
“Ognyan, Mum, not onion,” Charlie said under his breath as Ognyan elbowed him in the chest to stop him from correcting his mother.
“I am happy more to be joining your family.” He shook hands around the table before everyone sat down. The table buzzed with excitement at the news of Charlie’s wedding as they tucked in.
“Did you really not know anything about this?” Hermione whispered to Ginny.
“No! I mean I was starting to suspect something was up, Mum’s always trying to set him up with witches around here and he always seemed really uncomfortable when she brought it up so I figured he already had a secret girlfriend or he was into guys. I never would have guessed he was married! I mean, I always thought he’d die a hermit because he’s so obsessed with those ruddy dragons.” The girls giggled at this. “I could always imagine him sticking the little ones in tiny jumpers and trying to pass them off as grandkids so Mum would get off his back.”
“Yeah, I guess I could see that too. God, how do you even keep something like that a secret?” Hermione could see Harry squirm in the seat to her right as she talked to Ginny and it made her all the more suspicious he was hiding something. “Harry, you wouldn’t know anything about hiding a marriage now would you?” She asked in a fake sweet way, folding her hands under her chin as she rested on her elbows. Ginny and Ron (who were sat beside them) turned to look at them. Harry shrugged and took a large bite of mince pie to avoid speaking.
“Harry James Potter, what are you hiding?” Ginny accused, recognizing the guilty behaviour her ex was displaying from when they had dated.
“Nothing. No idea what you’re talking about.” He said, stuffing more food into his mouth.
“Mate, you keeping something from us? You already married too?” Ron chuckled with a hint of panic in his voice as he bit into his third chicken drumstick.
“No of course not! It’s just that I...you know... This is good pie, you should all have a piece!” He was stalling and Hermione was getting fed up.
“Spit it out, Harry!” She commanded, “what is so bloody imperative to keep secret from us?”
“It’s just that...I may have, you know, known...about the law.”
“Harry, you pillock, we all know about this bloody law. It’s kind of going to dictate our lives for ‘you know’ the next fifty or sixty years?” Ginny mocked.
“Yes, well, I may have known about it before it was announced alright?” Harry shouted, bringing the attention of the whole table to their conversation.
“Known about what before it was announced? Harry, dear, what are you talking about?” Molly inquired. Hermione was deathly still, a blank expression on her face as she turned to her supposed best friend.
“How long?” She asked in an unnervingly calm voice.
“What?” Harry replied, his face tinged pink.
“How long have you known about this?” She asked again, still not raising her voice or showing emotion. The others shifted away from the duo, expecting a blowup.
“...Since about April...” He told them.
“You mean to tell us,” Hermione said, finally allowing her agitation to show, “that you have known we were all going to be forced into marriages we didn’t want, forced into having babies before we’re ready, and forced to come back to this fucking country, and you didn’t think to mention it to anyone? Harry James Potter you absolute arse wipe!” She finished while hitting him with her empty plate, her voice rising on each sentence.
“What the hell, Harry! Why wouldn’t you tell us before now?” Ron growled, his ears and face going scarlet in anger.
“Children, please!” Arthur interrupted, “I’m sure Harry has a perfectly reasonable explanation for keeping this a secret. Go on Harry.” He told the man gently.
“Look, it’s not like I didn’t want to tell you! I overheard Kingsley and one of the unspeakable talking in his office. I was there to speak to him about something while they were talking about a population boost effort that might go into effect soon. At first, I thought there was no way it was going to happen. They wouldn’t just pair us off and make us have babies, that’s ridiculous! So I kept my mouth shut and figured if I heard anything else, I’d talk to Kings about it. Then, a few weeks later I overheard some of the members of the Wizengamot talking in the restroom about an older law that they might be bringing back. They were arguing about the need for a marriage law in the country. So I went straight to Shacklebolt to see what was going on. I was going to floo over to the Burrow and write to Mione as soon as I had answers!”
“Well, why didn’t you?” George cut in, a hurt expression on his face and his voice laced with pain. “I could have asked Angelina to marry me months ago and wouldn’t have to deal with this shite!”
“When I talked to Kingsley, he went really quiet before locking the door and windows and silencing the room. I thought he might murder me actually, the way the conversation started out. But all he did was question me about what I knew and how I knew it before confirming what I’d heard and explained what they had been discussing in counsel. He made me choose between being Obliviated or giving a wizard’s oath not to say anything to anyone else or mention it in passing until after the first of June when the law was going to be announced. He claimed that it was to protect myself from looking like an arse if the law didn’t push through, and to protect the public if it did. Apparently, they weren’t equipped to deal with the backlash the blasted law was going to cause before the first.”
“He really made you swear on your life?” Bill asked quietly, a sombre look on his face.
“I wouldn’t have kept it a secret if he hadn’t.” Harry shrugged in reply, his face racked with guilt. George and Ron both sat stewing in anger but wisely kept their mouths shut.
“I’m going to kill the both of you,” Hermione growled. She clenched her fists and her teeth (she could hear her parents rolling in their graves at the damage she must surely be doing to her molars). “You didn’t think to inform me of this before you confronted him? I could have helped! I would have told you that there was a more barbaric version of the law implemented years ago and that the threat of a new one was very likely true if you heard those old Wizengamot farts talking about it! How could you not even mention in passing that you’d heard rumours about it before you went to have it confirmed? I thought we told each other everything! And Kingsley even mentioned that he couldn’t find me to ask my opinion on this fucking law. He very well could have if he’d asked you!” She finished, her anger bleeding into desperate loneliness at the end. Did we really grow so far apart that he won’t even mention something so seemingly important to me? She thought.
“Mione, I swear, I honestly didn’t think it was real! And by the time I did, it was too late to say anything. I’m sorry I didn’t write to you, but I honestly thought it was nothing.”
“Mione,” Ginny started hesitantly. “What do you mean there was another law like this before? Here in the UK?” The occupants of the table (who had gone back to discussing this new information amongst themselves) grew quiet again.
“I do recall Mother mentioning it when I was a girl.” Andromeda interrupted. “Something her great grandparents had gone through. I know she spoke about it with assorted feelings. She envied them for some aspects of it and was glad to not be subject to others, but I don’t quite remember what all the law entailed aside from keeping the bloodlines pure.” Ginny and Molly let out a simultaneous gasp at the information before turning to Hermione for an explanation.
“I suppose even blood purists have their limits.” Hermione pointed out somewhat disdainfully. “The law was implemented in 1756 to combat the rising number of squibs and half-bloods being born. It required any girl of ‘suitable breeding age’ and ‘suitable breeding stock', that is to say, old enough to have children and a pureblood, to be put into a lottery system wherein a pureblood man could obtain her hand in marriage simply by proving his heritage and paying a small dowry. It was the only way for witches and wizards to marry legally for a hundred years, as it didn’t get removed from law until the 1860s. Anyone of ‘impure blood, be them mudbloods or half-breeds’ was excluded from the enactment in hopes of ridding them from society permanently. It obviously didn’t work, as they married in secret or ran off to other countries to get hitched. The law didn’t care if the witch was thirteen or fifty, if she still had her menses she was going to be forced into a marriage that produced at least one male offspring. They didn’t care about age differences, they didn’t care if the marriage was abusive, and they didn’t care if the couple threw ten girls. The only way to fulfil the law with your husband or wife was to produce a male heir before the woman could no longer give birth. If she didn’t give the man a son he was within his right, when she hit menopause, to kill her or have her stripped of her magic. At that point, he could petition for a new girl and the process started over. If the woman died in childbirth, then the same thing happened. Men could enter the lottery as many times as they wanted if they could afford it, even if they had a son, and they would often have three or four wives in their lifetime. Never all at once, but still. If a woman’s husband died and she hadn’t had his son, whether she had other children or not, she was forced back into the lottery system unless she could no longer conceive. It helped to boost the population at the time but hundreds of witches died at the hands of abusive husbands, and hundreds more died because they were too old or too young to survive giving birth. A girl’s body may start to cycle but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy enough to have a child. Unfortunately, back then it didn’t matter. There are records of matches from back in the day where the bride was as young as twelve and married a seventy-year-old wizard before dying because she was trying to bring an eight-pound child into the world when she herself probably only weighed about seventy pounds. The law only cared that Pureblood’s were having Pureblood offspring and continuing the lines. It was extremely rare for a match to end in happiness but some of the families loved it because it meant they could rise above their social class. The law had people who worked farms or mucked cattle stalls marrying aristocrats because it was entirely a lottery system. For that same reason, many families hated it. The law only stopped because the population was thriving, the government wasn’t built entirely of blood mania purists any longer, and the upper-class elite was revolting against having to continually sully their good standings with commoners or else dole out thousands of galleons to obtain a wife of ‘proper standing’.” A silence followed when she finished explaining.
“That sounds totally barbaric,” Ginny muttered.
“At least they’re pairing us all off with people we will be compatible with. And there’s an age limit for both men and women on both ends of the spectrum, so we shouldn’t be paired with someone too much older or younger than ourselves,” Percy mused.
“Well,” Ron started, “this time there is no having to marry based on blood. So I for one can’t wait to see what happens if those Slytherin slags get partnered with muggle-borns. I bet that will be pretty funny at least!” He chuckled, a few of his brothers joining in.
“Ronald Weasley, that is incredibly rude and I’ll not have you talking down about other people at my table.” Mrs Weasley scolded, only mildly upset.
“Oh, come on Mum. You can’t honestly say you wouldn’t like to see some of them get paired off with people who will ‘sully’ their good names? Just imagine the look on the Malfoy’s faces when their son gets paired with someone like Tracey Piper. Harry, you remember the little Hufflepuff in Ginny’s year right? I bet they’d go ballistic about a pairing like that. I’d like to see them try and pay their way out of this one.” He finished with a mutter. Arthur and Molly both hid smiles behind tight lips as they pictured the scenario.
“Ron, we don’t know for sure that any of the purebloods will get paired with muggle-borns or half-bloods. The test is based on compatibility, right? So those snobs will probably get stuck with one another.” Ginny added. Hermione cracked a smile at this.
“God, can you just imagine what the offspring of Malfoy and Bulstrode would look like?” Hermione asked, giggling. George and Ron shivered, looking affronted, and Harry and Ginny laughed right alongside her.
“I am very glad to be not included in your go abouts. This country seems very weird. What is a Bulstrode?” Ognyan interjected, giving Charlie a quizzical look that set off the table in a fit of more laughter.