11:00 am Meeting

After the last meeting, Ana was feeling like the day couldn't get much worse. These were a group of students who generally were said to respect adults. She could understand the incident from last meeting and could only hope that, since the meeting got out early, the next group would also be on time and they could get started. Mrs. Levski didn't know anything about the students in and around Hogwarts, just like she didn't know the castle since she had not gone to school there.

The match that would be extremely interesting would be the meeting for one of the Professors on campus - even Ana was surprised by who they had been matched with. All in good time, though, she mused as she prepared for the next meeting in the time she was given after the actions of those in the previous meeting.

She stood and opened the door, hoping the students would just walk in and they could get along with the proper order of things. Perhaps those involved in this meeting would be more calm. She read that the boy was a Hufflepuff. That had to be better than the Slytherin who had taken his match so badly in the last meeting.

Ana took her seat behind the desk once more and waited for either student to show up.

((OOC: Jackson's match will be late))

11am. Guidance office. What even was the guidance office? There hadn't been one in the castle ever before, students usually went to their head of houses' office if they ever need advice or support. In fact, when Jackson Rose early that day he hadn't the foggiest where to go other than it was near the charms corridor. Chances are it was a converted classroom. Yes. That'd make sense. 

After showering in the bathroom on the fifth floor and indulging in a not so healthy breakfast of sugar coated cornflakes, Jackson made his way to history of magic. It was no surprise there was only him and two other students in the class. Three. Three of them sat through lectures set out by Professor Binns. History of magic was far more interesting at NEWT. They'd left wizarding Britain behind and were, at the moment, learning about pre-historic magic then later Egyptians and work their way through time. 

Luckily at 11 Jackson had a free period so it wouldn't mean missing lessons but still, the idea of the whole marriage law was unsettling. Especially since his whatever-it-was with William. His secret whatever-it-was with William. 

11am. The clock ticked in the double history of magic classroom, signalling the end and not before long the sound of the booming bell echoed through the castle corridors. With the shuffling of footsteps and scraping of chairs the castle became alive and Jackson made his way nervously to the 'guidance office'. 

How corny. Guidance office. All it really was was a room dedicated to matching older students in the marriage law. Hopefully he would get Grace, they could blag it considering how good of friends they were. Even if it wasn't well, perhaps him and William were not meant to be after all, besides Jackson still didn't fully understand his feelings.

After a journey up a flight of stairs and a voyage around the second floor Jackson finally arrived at the 'guidance office' where he would soon be guided into a marriage he wanted. Hopefully. Possibly. Possibly not. Most likely not.

Knock. Knock. Knock. 

A knock at the door alerted Ana to the apparent arrival of the first – if not both, like last meeting – of the students she was to counsel regarding the Marriage Law. Putting on an air of nonchalance, she stood before moving to open the door for them. A blonde Hufflepuff stood before her, looking either annoyed or anxious. Ana couldn't decide which seemed more likely.

“Mr. Parker, I take it?” She asked, moving out of the doorway so he could enter. “Your match has yet to arrive, but we can just leave the door open for her.”

Gesturing to one of the two chairs meant for the students, Ana returned to her desk, waiting for him to sit before she would do so. She could only pray this meeting went over more easily than the previous one had. The Slytherin boy had caused quite a fuss, she remembered easily. Hopefully this boy would be more sensible, if not more calm about everything.

The time for the meeting came and passed and still the girl hadn't arrived. Frowning, Ana watched the door with narrowed eyes. There was no getting out of the meetings, Ana reminded herself. She would have to figure out what was going on, and in a timely manner, for she would not allow the other meetings to run late. Frowning, she moved to stand in the doorway and peer down the hallway. She would give the girl five minutes.

'Yes, Jackson.' He said as Ana opened the door and presumed him to be 'Mr Parker.' It felt so bizarre to be addressed as Mr Parker, in fact the only time he'd ever been addressed by that name was by a Professor when he had once been given detention, his only detention. Jackson wasn't the sort of boy to land himself detention and the teachers generally called him by a first name basis - apart from Professor Binns who called him 'Peters'. Typical Binns always getting names wrong.

Jackson entered the room and took a seat by the desk that Ana indicated. She seemed rather uptight and cold, perhaps it was just the type of person she was or maybe because she had such a busy day ahead. Jackson imagined that it couldn't be easy. People weren't happy about the whole marriage law and students loved an opportunity to kick out and let their hormonal frustration escape. Poor Ana, she really did have a rough day ahead of her.

Not wanting to feel the awkwardness Jackson diverted his attention to the window an got lost in thought about who his partner would be. He hoped for Grace. He needed Grace. They were close friends and had sworn that if they were partnered they'd stick to the law but allow each other to love, which was useful considering Jackson's sexuality dilemma. He liked William. There. He liked William. He. Liked. William. Too bad William wasn't a girl, or Jackson a boy. That was one things Jackson didn't like about the marriage law it discriminated against homosexuals. Then gain they couldn't exacty reproduce and the news wasn't global. He wasn't even sure if him and William were a thing.

'Excuse me.' Jackson asked when he noticed five minutes had passed on the clock. 'Do you know who my partner is?'

Ana nodded at the Hufflepuff boy as he confirmed his name. At least one of the students decided to show up on time. She couldn't say where the other one was, or when the girl would show up. Somehow, the other meetings were looking preferable to a student not showing up at all and getting into loads of trouble.

Hardly thinking about it, she began tapping her pen against the top of the desk. She didn't even register the sound until Jackson began talking once more and she set the pen down, covering it with both hands.

"Your match?" She asked, glancing down at the paper. "A Miss Reynolds. Ravenclaw Seventh year." Glancing up at him again, she tilted her head to the side. "Do you know her? I'm slightly surprised anyone would miss a meeting."

As soon as the words left her mouth, a flurry of brown hair and school robes burst through the door. The girl looked flustered, but surprisingly pleased about something.

"Hello," She breathed, clearly having had hurried from somewhere to get to the Guidance Office, "My name is Adrienne. Sorry I'm late, I didn't intend to be."

"That's fine, Miss Reynolds. Please have a seat." Ana replied, gesturing with a hand at the chair next to Jackson.

"Actually, I-"

"Then we can begin," Ana continued, giving Adrienne a slightly confused look at her . She watched as the girl sat down before looking between the two of them. "Do you know each other?"

Adrienne Reynolds? Jackson racked his brain for a moment. He recognized the name, he was certain of that. They'd studied together a few times, came across each other in the library. Jackson wouldn't say they were close, she wasn't part of the large group but still, he knew who she was.

It was sometimes hard to not know people around your age in Hogwarts once you'd been there for six years. Next year would be his final year of Hogwarts. He'd always thought that he could leave, go travelling, perhaps learn a thing or two and then one day return as a Professor. That'd be Jackson's dream. Yet, the possibility of that vision transforming into a reality had shrunken slightly since the marriage law. And William.

Would Adrienne want to do that? Would Adrienne accept him for who he was? Heck even Jackson didn't have it all figured out yet and here he was in a room with his bride-to-be. Unless... The thought of fleeing had come to mind a few times, go on the run and then what? Hope that the marriage law is overturned? Lie low for all eternity? That wasn't a way to live. But was marrying someone he didn't love?

'We've seen each other a few times.' Jackson said, not wanting to delve into too much depth to a stranger. Not that he disliked strangers, but the sudden realization of the scenario had just hit him and, unfortunately for Ana, she was the bearer of bad news.

'What does all this involve exactly?' Jackson asked and he gave both Ana and Addie a hesitant smile.

(ooc: sorry I couldn't remember if they knew each other or not ahhhh)

Addie frowned slightly as she was told to sit. She hadn't even been able to say her piece about all of this. Crossing her arms over her chest, she attempted to give Jackson a smile in return for his, but knew she probably failed a bit. She toyed with her hands as they settled into her lap.

Ana looked between the two of them and started explaining what was going to happen. "You will have two weeks to get to know each other before a checkup meeting to see how the two of you are doing. Then you will have two weeks to choose a date and get married. So in a month you will be married and then we will organize a followup meeting to see how you are doing."

Adrienne nodded along like she was paying attention, but she wasn't really. All she could think about was what happened to make her late to the meeting. It was both crazy and wonderful at the same time.

"So today we need to go through with fertility tests and then I can answer any questions you might have."

"Can I say something?" Addie asked quickly, hand raised as she interrupted Ms. Levski. The woman narrowed her eyes at Adrienne, but she wasn't about to be deterred. Ana nodded slowly and Addie let out a nervous laugh. "Well, you see, I can't really marry Jackson - sorry, mate, it's not you," She told him quickly before looking back at Ana, "but I.. I'm already engaged."

Ana looked extremely taken aback and frowned at Addie.

"It literally just happened," She added quickly, "in the hall. That's why I was late. Kaiden just-"

"The Slytherin boy?" Ana asked, brow furrowed. "Well.. that certainly explains a lot."

Adrienne tilted her head to the side in confusion, silently asking Ana to continue. "Well, he fervently refused to go on with the law. Nearly got himself into a load of trouble."

"Oh, Kaiden." Addie shook her head and closed her eyes with a sigh. "What do I have to do to make this okay? I really am sorry, Jackson. But you and I both know we would have trouble getting on."