Appointment One: 09:00

Farce or not, to save face Elijah needed to run with this new articled law and all that it entailed before the Wizarding World turned to thunder and lightning over it.

The first of many appointments was to start at nine o’clock that morning and already Elijah had opened the bourbon and found some ice - though he couldn’t quite remember tracking down the latter. His ash tray was full, Millie having already tossed out its contents twice, and he was generally worrying over what it was that was about to happen. It was the first and not the last - the first which would confirm the second and the third and the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh etcetera. After the first there was no going back. They had four weeks to comply to wedded bliss and then start their lives as well as others as a result.

The sweeteners, so to speak, were laid out on the desk. A promotion lifting him to Auror status and a position in the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical creatures or a position on the Magical Law Enforcement squad depending on  the preference of the lady.

Was that even the right paperwork, who knew?

Then of course there was the three bedroom apartment in Chelsea which had cost a ridiculous amount of money, the debt for which they’d inherit. Following that there was the 1,000 galleon loan which they’d get to keep if they had four children, 250 galleons per child. If that wasn’t enough, the Imperius Curse would be the only other option to contend with because Elijah had nothing for them.

Wedded bliss might’ve been their slogan but it wasn’t going to be easily achieved.

Collapsing into his chair, Elijah flipped his wand and vanished the ash from the glass bowl before lighting another cigarette. Ana would arrive soon in all her splendour and sweet smiles and then their couple would appear, awash with nervousness, resentfulness and hopefully that together would make them like each other.

Elijah wasn’t sure about anything, however, and was, justifiably, terrified.

Hopefully, wedded bliss might happen quicker than he’d first hoped.

Today was the day. The day where Hallie Cooper would meet her partner for the arranged marriage. She had spent many days in the auror office doing paperwork, writing envelopes and such like for letters to be sent. She had recieved her letter yesterday evening and now the night had gone to sleep and the sunshine had awoken.

Hallie was slightly disgruntled that she wouldn't get the opportunity to meet or communicate with her future spouse before the meeting but that was just the way of things. Being a lady she liked to make herself look the part of a wife - in her eyes a beautiful wife. She'd rose two hours earlier than usual and had spent a great deal of time styling her hair. Even if her spouse and her weren't mean't to be at least she'd make a good impression.

Rather than leaving her hair down she'd styled it into a relaxed braided up-do with a few escaping strands. Although since her mugging Hallie hadn't kept her hair down at all, she'd been tying it into a bun for the past month. Her make-up, as usual, natural, she never made an effort to make her skin look extraordinary orange but applied cosmetics accordingly to give a healthy glow.

Looking herself in the mirror she giggled to herself. It reminded her of the final party at Hogwarts: The Throwdown of the century. However her dress wasn't pink and white but long sleaved translucent dress with green leaves embroided in. When she'd read the description that her gown had arrived in a first she was repulsed but found it rather flattering.

At half past eight she returned to the bathroom mirror to brush her teeth before gathering her purse, equipped with an undetectable expanding charm, in case she needed to change into her auror robes and commence work after her meeting with Elijah Krum.

Elijah Krum was deputy minister and Hallie had come across him various times already when going about her day to day work as a trainee auror. She wasn't sure if he knew her name, or if he would recognise her but none the less he would know her after today. Perhaps he'd recognise her talent a bit more, maybe even praise her for her capture of Charlotte Topez or discovering who was selling cauldrons with illegal thickness and causing witches and wizards to be hospitalised due to their feet melting away from all sorts of leakages.

It was five to nine, she was going to be late if she didn't pick up the pace. Gosh, Hallie really was regretting wearing high heels now - at least her breast and buttox would be accentuated? Taking another glance at her wrist, forgetting her Father's watch wasn't there, she pursed her lips together stepping into the Ministry elevator.

Four minutes to nine. She was now riding upwards to the level where the senior offices were.

Three minutes to nine. Would she be seeing her partner waiting outside too? Or would she be expected to just walk right in?

Two minutes to nine. Hallie stepped from the elevator, along with a bunch of warlocks - was one of them her spouse?

One minute to nine. Hallie had reached the office marked Elijah Krum's. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Hallie's Appearence Today

All things considered, things were going rather well when it came to the Marriage Law. As far as she knew, no one had stormed through the ministry with threats of murder, so it all seemed to be going over decently well. Forms had been filled out and sent in, and matches were starting to line up.

The first meeting appointment was set for nine o'clock and there was little in the world that would make her late. As a naturally efficient and timely person, Ana had dressed quickly and arrived at the Ministry fairly early.

Now that her children were off once more to Hogwarts, Ana had only her husband to be around at home, which was entirely unappealing as of late. While she didn't have definitive proof, Mrs. Levski was quite certain that he was spending more time with his secret scarlet women than with her. It probably should have bothered her more than it did, but with the law having been passed and going into effect, she wasn't home as often, either.

Reaching the office where the appointments would be held, Ana brushed off her skirt before opening the door and making her way inside. Elijah was already inside, likely waiting on her. She wasn't late, but she was hardly as early as one might grow to expect her.

"Morning." She offered lightly, setting her bag behind a chair she assumed was designated for her. Giving Eli a smile, she moved to settle into her seat but her attention was drawn by a knock at the door.

Ana glanced back at Eli to make sure they were ready before opening the door to find the first female they had matched standing before her. "Hallie? Good morning, thank you for being on time." Ana offered the girl a smile, aware that the meeting might be rather nerve-wracking. "Please take a seat."

Though Ana wasn't naturally so formal when she spoke, it felt like the scenario called for it. Taking her seat, she looked over at Eli once more as they waited for the match to arrive.

“There aren’t enough Zegna suits in the world to stifle this poor turn of events.”

“Or PlayWizard magazines.”

“If you are just going to be unsympathetic then I want you to leave.”

Irina Rookwood turned away from the bookshelves, dropping the PlayWizard magazine she held into the plum-coloured arm chair angled towards the shelves.

The magazine collapsed against the vinyl with a squelch of pages and the sound of one of them ripping against each other. Theodore frowned from where he was sat in his office chair, feet on the desk, hands laced together in his lap over the family jewels.

Irina was decidedly, if you needed any clarification at all, unsympathetic.

She already had her husband. Pure of blood and there appeared to be a baby on the way if the paunch around her middle was any indication at all. She was lucky and it wouldn’t have cost her a galleon to award her baby brother with some sympathy.

“I came, didn’t I?” She snapped at him testily. “I don’t have to put up with this farce!”

“No, I do!” He shot back, his lips forming into a soft pout. “I don’t want to marry some dirty Mudblood or the spawn of a Blood-Traitor.”

“Well, you should’ve thought about that before you decided to put off your betrothal in favour for sowing your wild oats and producing bastards.” She retorted coldly, effectively silencing her brother who glared at her childishly, conceding defeat.

After a moment longer wallowing in the indignity of his situation, Theodore rose to his feet. He buttoned his blazer with one hand while reaching with the other to grab his silver-trimmed robes from the back of his chair.

Once they were brushed clean of any lint and settling nicely on his shoulders, he moved out from behind his desk and shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers, his glare still not quite abating its stare at his sister.

Irina looked back at him placidly, a tight smile on her lips, and Theodore shook his head before offering her his arm. She took it without question, marvelling at the fact that he could still remember his manners, and allowed him to lead her from his office in the Wizengamot chambers.

“I loathe being summoned, also, did I mention that?” He muttered as they slid into the elevator with a number of other wizards who looked to have just come from one of the courtrooms.

As the elevator lurched into life, Irina dropped her arm from Theodore’s, reaching to brush at her skirt, her lips curling into a frown.

“That’s the third time.” She commented dryly, looking up at him with a pleasant expression. “I’m sure your Half-Blood or Muggleborn or whatever the Ministry is gifting you with will be fine.”

“Much like the Welsh Green Itch or the Plague, yes?” He replied congenially.

Irina didn’t retort, merely smirking and shaking her head at her brother. There was no helping him when his mood was set and Theodore was in a foul one.

If an intern wasn’t hexed before the end of the day, Irina would be surprised.

Not to mention, when he returned to Hogwarts that evening he’d find a reason to give at least a dozen students detentions in the dungeons, strung up from the ceiling by their toes.

There wouldn’t be much short of a case of wine and some chocolate that could placate Theodore, she doubted. The poor, miserable boy.

It wasn’t long before they reached the Minister’s offices and Theodore kissed Irina goodbye before striding up confidently to the door of the Deputy Minister.

Unlike his other half to be, he dispensed with knocking and instead threw open the door, letting it slam behind him as he entered testily, figurative storm clouds rumbling over his head.

“Let’s sort this out from the get-go, bloody hellish banshee of a woman and cowed idiot of a Minister. I want a villa in Holland Park - that nice Italian grade two listed thing that’s on the market for a hellish amount of money. I want five hundred galleons per child and I want to be assured of the Deputy Minister for Magic position when Robert Lupin comes back and ejects your sorry arse from your position when he finds out what a farce you’re making of our world.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Those are my terms.”

The sound of muffled footsteps proceeded before the door opened to not reveal Elijah Krum but a lady with brunette hair and a tight, buisness looking skirt. This lady was Ana Levski, the woman ultimatley behind the marriage opportation - or so the rumours were.

At least Ana had smiled at Hallie, it made her feel more welcomed despite the heart thumping like a raging rhinocerous attempting to free itself from the cage that was her body. She'd have given anything to be that rhinocerous and escape, free herself from the situation, continue her life as normal debating whether Carth liked her or not.

A part of her was hoping Carth would be partnered with her, after all her crush really was starting to develop. However on the other hand if that was the case she would never know how he truly felt towards her. The marriage proposal wouldn't show a sign of love, more a sign of formality and wish to not be thrown into Azkaban. That wasn't marriage, that wasn't the condition she was conceived. Yet, somehow, it was law.

'Good morning.' Hallie replied, smiling. Whatever happened today wasn't the end of the world. If she liked the guy bonus, if not... then she'd get to that later.

Walking across the room she sat on a seat across from Elijah Krum and smiled. 'Good morning Mr Krum.' It only felt polite to address the deputy minister in that way, furthermore he was her boss now was hardly the time to act reckless, which was ironic. Reckless was her middle name.

However before Elijah could acknowledge her the door burst open and a young, dark haired, handsome man burst in. That wasn't so bad, he was devilshly handsome and the slight facial hair thing that he had going on was rather on turning but... He'd opened his mouth. His attitude stunk! Who on earth was this man demanding such and such and who was he calling a hellish banshee? Surely he didn't mean Hallie - or perhaps Hallie was getting lost in translation.

'Are you being serious?' Hallie gasped, rising to her feet. 'You're seriously pairing me with this arse hole?' Hallie would have loved to have sat back and watched the scene play out but naturally her emotions had gotten the better of her.

Rookwoods were troublesome. Rookwoods were even more troublesome when faced with marriage. The pro-creation problem which, by now, could’ve been a multi-volume book series in regards to them, would also leave this particular Rookwood feeling wrangled and cornered. Elijah knew he’d suffer for what he was doing later.

For now, Theodore would just have to put up with the misery the Ministry was affording him. Elijah was half-tempted to comment that it wasn’t his fault technically but when you were identifying whether a Levski woman wore a thong or some lacy things under those pencil skirts of hers, you do tend to become partly to blame when it comes to her passing funny laws.

So, really, it was all Eli’s fault.

Exhaling, Elijah reached for his cigarette case and once again lit up as he rose from his chair to stand by the window. If he lingered too long with the Cooper girl a Healer would later accuse him of trying to make her infertile or something and trying to find another woman for Theodore would be like tempting fate and death; and he was.

Elijah flicked some of the ash out of the window as he took Theodore in.

He’d let Ana deal with the younger man’s terms.

“Good Morning Miss Cooper,” He exclaimed merrily instead. “Yes, I am afraid you’re going to marry this arsehole. He’s coffee and a glass of bourbon short of being contented. Ana, if you’d be so kind? Do prove Mr Rookwood wrong that you’re not a hellish banshee of a woman and pour him a drink. Hallie, would you like something? Then we’ll discuss this house, eh?”

As she waited for Eli to respond to the young woman's greeting, but as soon as she sat down, the door flew open and a furious Rookwood entered. Listing off terms seemed to be a specialty of his, for it looked as though he had had either been planning them since he got the letter, or had just threw them out as he thought of them.

Hallie's reaction was one Ana found particularly appropriate as she, eyes narrowed, watched Theodore from her chair. She closed her eyes with a sigh through her nose as Eli passed the responsibility to her. Passing him a disappointed frown, she nearly rolled her eyes. He just sat there, smoking like a chimney, watching her as she stood. He would most certainly be hearing about this later. It didn't help that he merely pointed out the name Theodore had given her. Frankly, words passed over her rather than through her, but if anyone was going to be in trouble for it, Eli wasn't off limits.

Moving to pour the infuriated man a drink, she gestured to a chair, hoping he would just sit down and deal with it.

"Allow me to remind you, Mr. Rookwood, that you are currently employed at Hogwarts as Headmaster." Ana pointed out as she was turned away from them, pouring the glass of bourbon before turning to look at him with a steely expression. "You may not have chosen it, but it can be taken away without much question if someone from the Minister's Office should send word. Regardless of if that offends you or not, there are further extremes we could go to if you refuse to comply with the new law. Think about your position on the Wizengamot, if you will." Extending a hand, she offered the glass as she spoke.

Wait. House? What house? Were the Ministry going to not only force them to marry but force them into a house as well? Hallie had worked hard to finally get her flat about Madame Malkins, sure it wasn't the best of homes but it was hers - a place she could retreat to every night and call it home. Plus she simply loved the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.

Before Hallie could even respond to the comment about the house Ana had caught her attention. This man was the Headmaster of Hogwarts? This was simply getting worst and worst. 'Hold on.' Hallie began, turning face Ana. 'You've partnered with me with my Mum's boss?' Her mouth was open and her eyes wide in a state of disbelief.

Pressing her lips together, she took a glance from Theodore, to Ana, to Eli. Sitting herself back in her chair in a rather tempestous manner Hallie swung one leg over the over, rested her wrists against the edge of her knee, so her hands crossed over; pulled her shoulders back and stared right ahead of her. 'This house better be good!'

In Pureblood circles, sexism never really died out; hence the reason why most married Pureblood women were tasked with producing heirs and remaining at home to oversee the upbringing of the children who were largely looked after by nannies while their mothers entertained friends and guests and lovers and did whatever women did which generally meant being a drain on all resources. To have them at work was a novelty in Theodore’s turn-of-the-century mindset. However, having them tell him what to do was something he wasn’t going to put up with. While he knew his fair-weather friend did not share his sentiments, Theodore consoled himself knowing that at least somehow, some day, he’d get his own back on Ana Levski.

“I inherited that position,” He told her acerbically as he took the glass she offered, mentally sniffing at it, knowing that had it been under his own steam he would’ve filled the glass, etiquette be damned. “You have no authority to take it away from me. Even if you did, I am sure my grandfather could find someone to adequately fill the spot. Someone less willing, perhaps, to let the Ministry go one with its charade of quietly letting people go about their ways regardless of whether or not they are guilty of their crimes or not and most often are.”

Theodore smiled tightly before taking a seat in the chair beside Hallie, one hand moving up to riddle through the front of his hair while the other leaned against the chair, his fingernails tapping idly at the side of the glass. He looked over at the blonde in question and arched an eyebrow at her before allowing a slow smirk to creep onto his features.

“That’ll make for an interesting conversation then,” He conceded dryly. “Your mother is rather charming in any case.”

His smirk only widened and he turned a little to look at Levski pointedly before deciding to himself that if the Cooper girl would work with him, they’d get out of the meeting with exactly what he wanted. It would leave them a thousand galleons better off than anyone else and in good stead in terms of housing too if he could bend them. Truthfully, Theodore wasn’t interested in a Ministerial position. It meant that he’d actually have to work. Merlin knew the Krum didn’t and spent his days smoking, drinking and enjoying the dotty company of their interns. Theodore wished he had the patience to put up with them long enough to bed them but it was certainly a mark of character when your lover didn’t care that you got her name wrong.

“It’s a nine bedroom, eight bathroom affair. The last owner was a man obsessed with Victorian oddities. He collected antiques and the house has largely been refurbished after they got out all of the junk. Eight reception rooms, too, I believe. If you think about it. Your darling little loan will afford us five bedrooms left over. Take out two for guests one for ... us.” Theodore paused, unsure whether he liked the idea or not. Scratch that, not even. He cleared this throat. “That means two left. You could get six little wizards for your money which is why I do rather thing five hundred is appropriate.”

The truth of the matter was that Theodore could’ve had his father purchase it and he could’ve paid the money off as and when Thaddeus wanted it back. As it was, Theodore wanted more for his money. If he had to go through the humiliation of ascertaining whether or not he could produce sons or whether his and his uncle’s line was cursed with only two sons at best then he wanted to do so in relative luxury. Hallie was Amelia’s daughter, importantly, and Theodore had no idea if Hallie had any brothers or Amelia any brothers herself. They could’ve been producing girls for generations and the poor Rookwood genes and the lack of luck with getting males in recent years didn’t make Theodore feel at all reassured.

And what if, with his... disfigurements and this, that and the other he was infertile? What then? What if, by some stroke of good fortune, his brother happened to die and he was left incapable of producing heirs?

Theodore swallowed, his hand brushing absent-mindedly over the skin below his smallest finger on his right hand where once another had been, twitching and growing along with him. He sobered himself with the juxtaposing alcohol of the bourbon and shook his head minutely before looking at Ana.

“So what else does this entail, this meeting?”

“Let’s not argue, children!” Elijah exclaimed pleasantly, flicking some ash into the bowl by his hip before putting the cigarette back into his mouth.

The house was a bit beyond what Elijah wanted to push - and by a bit he meant twenty-six million beyond what he wanted to push. He would’ve accused Theodore of asking for far too much but he’d let Ana do that if she felt like it. The Purebloods would be a trial and Elijah knew it. They wouldn’t accept anything less than what they felt they deserved and daddy would quite happily bail them out of Azkaban for whatever the Ministry wanted and they’d all be back to square one. If they could placate them without losing too much then Elijah felt it could be a win. But twenty-six million was a lot more in galleons and while it was well within Elijah’s personal budget, he doubted the Ministry would feel the Rookwoods worth that much.

“Darling Ana and I will check for your fertility - it’s a very simple spell - and explain the timeline for this wedding. Now, it’s not case by case and it’ll be staggered. In theory, we want to get you into a property as soon as possible in order for you to establish what you want out of your home and get to know each other in the midst of decorating every room. I hope you know a few good owl order companies willing to provide that much furniture if your hearts appear to be set on the house. It really is very nice.”

Elijah smiled slightly, flicking away the ash again.

“You’ll have two weeks to get to know each other properly and we will be checking up on you. I am rather partial to a chocolate dessert, mind. Then you’ll have another two in which to get married so as you furnish your house I suggest you get your mother-in-law to get you an appointment with that Italian dressmaker they all seem to like.” Elijah gestured nonsensically to nothing in particular. “Then of course wedded bliss is the name of the game with the eventuality of children. However, it’s the job ladder I particularly want to discuss with you, Miss Cooper. Being that you’ll obviously take time off to raise your brood etcetera, eventually you’ll want to come back to work and I’d like to put you on a promotion conveyor belt, if you will. I think you’d be rather well suited to a position within the Hit Wizard squad in time, no?”