"There's not much you can do, Ms. Granger. As of last September you are of age—whether your birth certificate says so or not. I'm sure you know that you will be receiving offers as soon as your name appears on the lists. I can only hope you will choose wisely," Professor McGonagall turned to leave, stopping before she opened the door, "I truly am sorry for my part in this."

"Professor?" Hermione near whispered.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?"

"Is there anyone else here who-who is being forced …" she stopped, unable to continue.

"To marry? No, There isn't anyone else."

"Thank you, Professor."

McGonagall was wrong, however. There was one other person in Hogwarts Castle who was being forced into matrimony. He was, at that moment, staring at the list of prospective brides, still rolled up and sealed with Ministry of Magic's official seal.

Drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, he sighed, not a sigh of exasperation, but a sigh of unwelcome resolution. Grabbing the scroll of parchment and clenching it in his closed fist, he stalked out of the room, his robes billowing behind him.

Minutes later he was in front of a stone eagle, a seemingly normal, albeit large, statue.

"Lemon drop," he muttered, his face contorting with bitterness as though he had actually tasted the candy and not merely said the name.

The eagle began to move, a stairway appearing as it did. He took the steps two at a time, quickly coming to a closed door.

"Severus, come in," came a voice from within before Severus had a chance to raise a hand to knock.

The door opened with hardly a push and revealed a white haired, bearded older man sitting behind a desk.

"Albus, I don't want this." He held up the now crumpled scroll and waved it before the older man's face to make his point.

"I'm sorry?" Albus asked as though he had not heard.

"I. Do. Not. Want. This." He tossed the scroll onto the desk, " I will not force some woman to marry me, to bear my children. Even I know that a life and family should not be built upon a law—Ministry made or otherwise." The last word came out with disgust.

"Severus, it is either this or banishment. You would lose your job here and your wand. You can not possibly be serious."

"You don't think I haven't thought of that? I know the consequences, but I also know the consequences that a forced marriage bring. Again, I do not want that list. In fact, you can have this, too. I'd rather you break it than anyone at that so-called ministry." He pulled his wand out of the pocket of his robes and laid it on Dumbledore's desk.

"Severus, just look at the list. Perhaps there's someone on there you could get to know, or someone you already know. It could work."

"Albus, I've made my decision. There's no one on that list that I wish to marry and no one who would wish to marry me."

"Just look. You could find someone to save from a life far worse than marriage to you. You would doing some woman a favor, and that alone would put you in her good graces."

"No."

"Severus, look."

"Absolutely not."

"Just look." Albus held the parchment out to Severus.

"Will it make you shut up?" Snape snatched the list out of Dumbledore's hand and sat down, breaking the seal and unrolling the parchment all in one fluid motion. His eyes moved down the list quickly.

"Non—," he began to say, as his eyes trailed the end of the list, stopping as the newest name magically appeared, "Albus? Since when is Ms. Granger of legal age?