Insight into the Downfall of Mankind

Chapter One: Nietzsche

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

She gently laid aside her fork and picked up the letter placed next to her goblet. Hermione looked to Harry and then to Ron who was already anxiously attempting to edge his open. The more he would pry open at the flap, the stronger it would reseal, "Ouch" he grumbled as he received a paper cut from the aggravated letter.

Hermione had a horrible gut feeling about this. Something vile and sour bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She knew what this was, or rather; she had a pretty good suspicion. Her strong courage, her brave front against the trials of life was dwindling over this silly little paper.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and all of the students looked up expectantly. Those without letters eagerly looking over their neighbors shoulders. "You may open these letters in exactly…five, four…" Dumbledore's face was blank; there was nothing there to bounce off of. But a blank face meant there were emotions to hide…

The war had raged heavily for a full year. The casualties to the wizarding world had been immense. Many had died on both sides and the wizarding population in Britain had dwindled. Of Hermione's sixth year class, there was nobody left. She, Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, Ginny and Lavender were all that was left of her Gryffindor year. And only scatters of the other houses. They had all returned after to war in an attempt to salvage their educations. The younger generations had faired reasonably well, but a quarter of first to sixths years were missing or dead.

Of the older generation, the twenty to forty aged, there was almost no one. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had both perished. Lupin and Tonks, Snape, Kingsley, Charlie, Bill, Fred, Diggle, Hopkins, the Bones…all gone, even Percy had not made it through with all of his Ministry connections. George was left to look over the remained of the family. Only Ginny now, since Ron was of age.

Hermione's own parents had also been casualties of the war, but had managed to pull through. Extensive injuries and all. But she was not special, so many people had perished and lost health that the wizarding world in Britain was basically being run by children. And would be so for many a few years until their generation began having children. Many people had paid dearly for the freedom future generations would have. Sometimes she asked herself how she had survived, and what she had done to deserve life when others had not. Why had so many of her friends died only to allow her to sit here?

Hermione turned her envelope over in her hands. It was large and manila, sealed with the Ministry of Magic's seal. Dumbledore had told them there would be a new law implemented following the end of the war. And here they were, almost a year after Voldemort's death, nearly finished with their study at Hogwarts and were just receiving official news of this. There had been many ludicrous rumors circulating about. The Ministry would hand out money or property, people would be whacked,win jobs…and so the list went on. But there was only one law possible at a time like this. Well, that was untrue. It could always have been a stricter enforcing law, or a security measure. Right?

It appeared she alone had given the law thought; others seemed genuinely unaware, or rather uninterested. Hermione decided to stop cranking the gears in her brain and just allow this to come to her naturally. There was nothing to do. Every student in the sixth, seventh and miniscule eighth year had this letter. Another tick to her suspicion list.

"Hermione, aren't you going to open yours?" Harry asked as he began tearing at his envelope.

"Yeah" she replied quietly as she tore off the seal. "I already have a good idea of what awaits for me here…" she muttered sadly.

Miss Hermione Granger

The Ministry of Magic:

Calls upon decree number 176 under the institutional emergency act, in the specifics of the Law of Magic, for life threatening situations to wizard kind.

In section 13 appendix E the law clearly states that when wizarding population in Britain falls underneath 500 childbearing able wizards and witches the ministry is approved to execute arranged marriages in order to successfully save the race.

Everyone between the ages of sixteen and thirty is eligible. Age, health and blood line will all be taken into calculation in the process of choosing life partners. There are no redoes or changes to Ministry policy. Once your mate has been chosen it is required of the participants to go forth in marriage and procreation.

Underneath is the date of your meeting that you will be required to attend. In this meeting you will meet your life mate and settle estates and boundaries. Your meeting will be overseen by a member of the ministry and your engagement will become legally binding by the end of the meeting. You will have exactly two months after the date of appointment to marry.

Please prepare to bring a witness to sign forms.

Sincerely,

Oliver Keaton

Of the Marriage Law and Contract Law Department in the Ministry of Magic

Hermione looked up from her letter to see a stunned crowd sitting about her. Harry looked about ready to throw up. Ron was shaking his head and rereading the letter. Hermione looked to Dumbledore, waiting for the 'surprise!' He looked back solemnly.

Life mate? What a depressing term to use. "No, they shouldn't be allowed to do this" she whispered to herself. No matter how well she had prepared herself for this possibility, there was always that small hope that countered. And now, after reading the official document Hermione felt as though her world was crumbling. All of the restrained fears and doubts and anger came crashing down upon her in waves. For the first time in her life, she regretted being right.

"Apparently they can" Harry replied sourly "And they will" he threw his letter down. His face was growing increasingly whiter.

"But…how…vile. How…inhumane!" Hermione said in outrage, trying to draw a greater reaction from her friends. Her hands were shaking and her teeth rattling.

"What if I have to marry someone ugly" Ron groaned.

"RONALD! How can you think about something as vain as that? They are forcing you to marry against your will! Does this not bother you? Are you not angry?" Hermione asked throwing her letter down. It landed right onto her plate of eggs.

"Not really, I'm familiar to the concept of arranged marriages; it's just usually you get to see who you're supposed to marry before it gets set. This…this is not good. What if I don't like her? I'll have to live with her forever. What if my mother doesn't like her! Then we'll have a real problem" he groaned again placing his head in his hands.

"You're really missing the big point here Ron" Harry chuckled sadly.

"Can it Harry, you'll end up with Ginny. We all know it. Nobody would want to upset our savior. You'll get who you want and Hermione and I will be stuck with weirdoes" Ron raged on, he began to tear his letter.

Hermione pulled it out of his hands "Ronald, don't do that! Your date is on here. And besides, you're doing this for your country and race, no matter how bad it is" she said sourly, she hardly believed her own words. The greater good was not her good.

"It might not be so bad" Harry offered lamely.

"This is just so unwarranted!" Hermione cried mending Ron's letter and handing it back to him "When I'm Minister of Magic I'll-"

"Yes, yes, we all know Granger. You'll free all of the house elves and make them charge for their services. You'll have tea with the giants…sorry Weasley, I didn't mean to speak of you as though you weren't present" Malfoy smirked as he walked behind them.

"Oh please, go die" Hermione frowned. She was in no mood to deal with him now.

"That's not a nice way to speak to me" he said in mock hurt, his hand on his heart "I helped your cause".

"By hiding in a hole" Hermione muttered under her breath.

"Yes, well, it's not very nice of you to force your ugly face upon us" Harry replied coolly.

"What do you want ferret?" Ron asked, his fingers twitching for his wand.

"I'm merely going about and checking interview dates with people. Trying to figure out what troll I'll have to get hitched with" he replied smartly flashing his paper in front of Ron's face. "It's called being prepared Weasley, I know it's something you are not used to" he said with a sneer.

Hermione flipped him off.

He blew her a kiss and walked away.

"Ooh I'd love for him to get stuck with Bullstrode, or Parkinson, he'd deserve it!" Hermione seethed "They would drive him out of sanity and home!"

"I think we'd all like to see that" Harry admitted "As funny as it would be… it won't really make me feel better about this in the larger sense" Harry sighed folding his letter.

"It's all right…we'll survive…" Hermione said slowly, "just interpret tragedy as an affirmation of life… interpret tragedy as an affirmation of life… interpret tragedy as an affirmation of life…" she mumbled quietly, trying to calm herself.

Ron and Harry exchanged an exasperated look.

"So…when is your meeting Hermione?" Ron asked picking her soggy letter out of her eggs.

The next morning Hermione stood awkwardly outside a large oak door with Harry at her side. They were next in line for the meeting. So far Hermione's fiancé was nowhere to be seen and she was shitting herself restless. Couples had walked out before them, some seemed amiable, and others walked a meter apart, one pair were escorted out by aurors at wandpoint, how embarrassing.

"Harry, I knew it was soon…but I didn't realize it would be the next morning" Hermione cried as she placed her hands over her face. She was slowly unraveling, her cool calm demeanor fading fast. Even though she had seen it coming, even though she knew it was a possibility, Hermione had barely prepared herself mentally for this. She kept telling herself that it was unlikely the marriage law would be put into effect, it was not reasonable, there was now way. And now that it was here, Hermione felt as confused as the rest.

"Buck up" Harry said pulling her hands down "Mine is tomorrow morning".

"They didn't even let us prepare mentally for this!" she cried becoming restless "I can't wrap my head around this. Do you know that in forty-five minutes I'll walk out of that room engaged, and in two months I'll be married?"

"You'll be a beautiful bride, despite whoever your fiancé is, and Ron and I will walk you down the aisle. We'll drop in on you everyday once you leave Hogwarts and we'll be there for you Hermione, good or bad. You'll be fine. I know you will" Harry promised placing his sturdy hands on her shoulders.

Hermione nodded and wiped her wet faced. She straightened her skirt and blouse and looked at her watch. Three minuets. "You are very right Harry; very right…It's just life. Tragedy is an affirmation of life" she said breathing deeply.

Harry frowned at her, "That's a depressing thought to keep repeating" he said.

"True though, people hated Nietzsche, only because he was right" Hermione replied as she smoothed her skirt down the palms of her hands.

"Come in" said the secretary opening the door.

Harry and Hermione stepped into a huge room with twenty five doors all about it and large desk in the middle. People were entering and exiting the doors with rapid speed. "Number thirteen" the secretary said pulling her quill out from behind her ear and writing on her clipboard. She pointed to the door.

"Well that's ominous" Hermione muttered as they walked to the door.

Harry opened it first and looked inside. "There's no one here, come on in" he said opening the door wider for Hermione. She stepped in nervously. There were four chairs facing one desk. Hermione and Harry took the two chairs on the left. There was a large black skid mark on the wall behind the desk. It looked like a missed curse. Hermione suddenly felt even worse.

"I bet Malfoy's in for a big surprise during his meeting. Probably ran into three girls with the same meeting time as him" Hermione chuckled nervously trying to keep a straight head.

Harry nodded, but he seemed to still be staring at the random holes and burn marks about the room. "It looks like a room for difficult couples or something. I can see them coming in and restraining you with a straightjacket once you meet your fiancé" he joked.

"Harry…not funny. What if I got stuck with…I don't know, Flint! You just might see me being escorted out with aurors. Would you be laughing then?" she asked curtly.

"No, if you get stuck with someone horrid, I'll do all I can to pull you out of it" Harry promised.

"Thanks Harry" Hermione sighed. She slid down into her chair and fell into an uneasy silence, fears and doubts raging through her head.

Hermione had her Law of Magic memorized to a song. After seeing the population drop, she knew the ministry would be sure to implement the law. Was it right? Yes, under the circumstances it was the only way to keep the British wizards alive, she would have done if she were Minister. But humanely, it was wrong. Hermione was of age, she was over age, for her it wasn't quite as traumatic, even though she was in shock. But for the sixteen year olds? What did they know? And what if a sixteen year old got stuck with a thirty year old? What if Hermione got stuck with someone older than her? No…they said age was a consideration. At least she had that under control.

It was just the way things would go, and maybe Hermione would get lucky and be placed with someone she knew. Or at least someone she could get along with, maybe a Ravenclaw or somebody already in secondary school.

There was no opportunity for love here, but maybe friendship would be nice. It was all she could ask for. Since her life was going to be arranged for her, if it could not be love and passion, could it be tea and small talk? Her fingers tapped in trepidation on her knees and she stared at the desk clock. Come on…it was exactly eight…

The door opened and Hermione jumped out of her chair. She turned to see who it was. But it was not her fiancé. A flustered woman ran into the door with many papers in her hands. She dropped her bag onto the table and began to leaf through the papers without acknowledging either Hermione or Harry. Her clothing was twisted, her brown hair falling out of her bun; it must have been a bad morning. "I always get stuck with number thirteen…" she mumbled under her breath.

Harry and Hermione exchanged startled looks.

Finally she looked up, her lips went slack and her mouth hung open. "Where's the other one?" she asked with disdain. Hermione and Harry shrugged. "No matter, perhaps he's late. I'm Nancy, I'll be doing the paperwork and overseeing the bond…but it might be difficult to do without…Ah there you are Mr. Malfoy, with your witness too!" Nancy said in relief.

Hermione stopped breathing, she…misheard…not possible…

Harry's neck twisted back and his mouth was agape "Malfoy…" he said in disgust "Zabini?"

"Potter?" Draco asked with a grimace. But if Potter was here…his eyes then landed on a familiar bushy head…no, lord, anyone but. He didn't believe in any muggle god, but he was sure as hell praying to one now.

"Oh shit! You have to marry Granger!" Blaise Zabini cried out clutching his sides.

A storm rolled over the room.