Marriage Law: Four Separate Tales, One Magical Story

The First Challenge

A suddenly announced assembly results in all students of sixth and seventh years sitting in the grand hall with their dorm members- not allowing their hopes to go up. A certain table of Slytherins, Gryffindors and a single Ravenclaw sit centred in the room.

"How many damn assemblies can we possibly have in the space of two weeks?" Draco whines, in his usual sarcastic tone. Hermione simply responds with an iconic eye-roll that finally rests upon her book. A slight smile creeping up her face, to no one else's notice.

"I mean, I'm not complaining," Harry explains, "this school year is already so confusing I'm probably going to need at least one of these a day to keep up!" The table reacts with a shared laugh.

"Shut it Harry, you're already confirmed your dream job of an auror, whether you pass the N.E.W.Ts or not," Ron complains, "I on the other hand, am utterly f*cked."

"Very true." The quiet and mysterious Slytherin adds, whilst Luna inspects his scalp for... well only Merlin knows what, this time. Ron begins to blush.

"Which part?" the read faced and haired boy adds in confusion.

"Hmm, both I guess." He adds with confidence, causing Ron to bow in submission to his fate of failure. Noticing this an invasive feeling of guilt begins to build inside of the unwelcoming Zabini. "Only joking, Weasley!  Im sure someone will tutor you to an acceptable level!" He says with a hidden sense of uncertainty. The ginger smiles in response. The unlikeliest acquaintanceship of all. A repetitive tap on the table diverts all attention to the front of the room.

"Students, in an attempt to make the achieving of your N.E.W.Ts slightly easier, and dare I say more exciting, I am introducing a set of challenges throughout the year that will depend on knowledge of the syllabus and the ability to perform the skills you have been learning throughout the year." The audience gasps in response- the loudest coming from the academically challenged Weasley who happens to excel in his more practical side of school (especially following the events of his previous school year). 

"Your first challenge," Mcgonagall chimes in, "is to find a hidden item- using only a riddle- you can either choose to work as a dorm or in your individual pairs. The riddle will appear to you once you all reach your dorm room. The first group, or pair, to find the item will receive extra credit towards their final grade. You are not permitted t use anything other than your wand and sheer wit. Good luck to you all." Everyone stares at the front in silence. Waiting for further instructions. "I suggest you all hurry along if you wish to find it before nightfall."

Without second thought, a sea of students arise from their seats, like a tidal wave- originating form the front of the room.  The first to leave, the boy who lived and his fellow living companions. Rushing through the crowd, as if in an emergency, the pack push through, not stopping until they are freed by one simple word- "prevail".

Sitting patiently around the communal area, they discuss the current most vital part of the task- if they should work together or not?

"All I'm saying Hermione, is that if we work together we have a better chance of finding it first, we can spread out and cover more ground." The male Weasley explains.

"And I haven't disagreed with you Ronald, all 'I' am saying is that there are both reasons for why we should and should not join forces- one of them being proved to me right now," she says before explaining her inevitably intelligent perspective, "we can't agree on anything, no matter how small!"

"Sure we can Mione!" Harry said confidently, "we all agree that we will follow you in this- riddles are your forte." She smiles in response to his informed remark- he's very right, they are her forte.

"Okay then, lets get this clue!" Ginny says, completely understanding the look the Gryffindors are all sharing- they have a a bond without an equal.

Suddenly, as if it had been listening in to the conversation, or better yet the debate, the riddle appears in the middle of the room, hovering above the centre table. It reads:

"At the highest point, you'll find Saturn's prize, on a lonely index to the sky."

Silence engulfs the room for a short, imaginative moment, before the riddle fades. Instantly, Hermione  summons a whiteboard and pen and rewrites the riddle. 

"Okay, so, we have 2 obvious clues in this riddle," the rest of the group stare in confusion- all but luna who appears to have full knowledge of the situation, "the first is "Saturn" which could be a reference to something relating to a zodiac, or the planet- but what could the prize be? Saturn... Saturn... Saturn..." as she paces to and fro in wonder, the group follow her every move.

"A ring!" The girls all exclaim in a synchronised fashion. The boys all sit in wonder, pretending to have figured that out ages before.

"Of course, duh!" Zabini exclaims.

"Pshht, yeah..." Ron adds.

"Totally knew that!" Harry contributes. Draco stares at the boys in disbelief. Imbeciles.

"Okay," Hermione continues, her train of thought speeding past 93/4, "Index, this could be as in a finger or a book."

"Well since its pointing to the sky, AND its a ring, I think we know what the obvious f*cking choice is." Draco adds in passing, his interest slowly fading as the group get close to the answer."

"Well if we are going  with obvious answers, I know where it is," Luna states confidently, intriguing the group,  "I go there with the fair folk every spring's end!" Thus losing the group's faith.

"Fairies, really Luna?" Ron asks in disbelief, gaining a dissaproving glance from Blaise, who entertains Luna's ramblings.

"Where is it then, love?" Her heart lights up at these words, He is so sweet, silly, but sweet.

"Right so do you all know the astronomy tower?" She asks innocently, misleading the group into thinking this is a rhetorical question. Once they realise she is actually wanting an answer, they nod in approval. "So at the top of that roof, there is a statue that was built just this spring, its of Snape, dedicated to his sacrifice. He has a ring on, its like the one Dumbledore has." They all succumb to a deathly silence in regards to Snape's, still controversial death- Malfoy appears to be the most affected.

"Anyhow," Luna insists, "The ring is on his pointy finger, and it points to the sky" After hearing this Hermione jumps up.

"Luna, you are coming with me, I'm going to apparatus us there." Without an answer they head out. Landing on the cold and windy roof of the astronomy tower.

Luna wasn't lying, but she missed the detail about the scale of the monument. Thankfully, her range of spells was unmatched.

"Accio ring!" The prize flies into her hands, and immediately the apparatus the two of them back to the common room. Where the group's eyes fixate on them, intensely, in an eerie silence.

"...WE GOT IT!" The room erupts into cheers and a mosh pit of excitement erupts in the middle of the room. In the excitement, Harry lifts Ginny up, twirling her around, making her robe float, gracefully. Ron pulls lavender into a deep embrace, she inhales his hair- he returns the gesture. Blaise smiles cheerily at Luna, admiring her intricate mind and the way it works- thoughts he will not admit to himself or others. Luna shares his gaze, almost holding his hand with her eyes. Hermione and Draco staring across a room, before Draco breaks the stillness- its like everyone else has left the room. He glides towards her, with an uncertain demeanour- not sure of what he'll do when he gets there.

5 steps away.

4 steps away.

3 steps away.

2 steps away...

1 metre apart, without breaking eye contact. Suddenly, they are pulled apart, Hermione by Ginny and lavender, Draco by Zabini. There they stay for the night, sharing the occasional passion filled glance.