Unofficial Portkey Archive

Betrothed

E. C. R. Potter

Summary: A transfer student comes to Hogwarts in the trio's sixth year and claims to be Harry Potter's betrothed since childhood: his future wife. Things start to get suspicious however when people start falling into comas. Will contain H/Hr.

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Inc., Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Raincoast, and any other affiliated party.

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Chapter 1: Cassandra Frost

"I heard there's going to be a transfer student this year," said Ron Weasley. "I hope it's a girl." Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley were just starting their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had just witnessed the sorting of new first years.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron, are girls the only thing you have on your mind?"

"Yes," said Ron with a large grin. Harry started snickering as Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to the doors of the Great Hall to catch a glimpse of the transfer student.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood up and started speaking, "Students, I have an announcement to make. This year, Hogwarts has a new student from Durmstrang. She will be in sixth year. So will everyone please welcome Miss Cassandra Frost."

Minerva McGonagall walked into the Great Hall with a young girl of around sixteen. She was quite tall at five foot eight, had straight waist length raven black hair, icy blue eyes, an extremely pale complexion, and a voluptuous figure. She caught the sight of virtually every boy in the school who gazed at her their jaws dropped. In fact, as far as Hermione could see, Harry was the only one who wasn't captured by Cassandra's looks.

Cassandra walked up to the stool in front of the head table and McGonagall placed the tattered sorting hat on her head. After a few tense minutes, the hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table cheered as Cassandra took her place at the Ravenclaw table. The other three tables groaned.

"Damn it! I wish she were a Gryffindor," declared Ron as he stuffed chicken into his mouth. Hermione simply rolled her eyes and started drinking her soup.

After about twenty minutes, Cassandra left the Ravenclaw table and made her way to the Gryffindor table. The attention of all the Gryffindor boys snapped to her as Cassandra caught sight of the lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry's forehead. "Harry Potter?" she asked.

Harry groaned. He had long gotten used to his fame in the wizarding world but he still did not like it. "Yeah I'm Harry Potter. Just your average sixteen year old boy who just happens to have a scar..." Harry would've continued if Cassandra hadn't pulled him into a deep kiss.

After about a minute, Cassandra pulled away from Harry with a large smile on her face. Harry had a look of utter disbelief and shock on his face. Ron also seemed to shocked as well with his jaw dropped and Hermione looked shocked and absolutely furious. The entire male population of Hogwarts looked jealous of Harry while the female population looked at Cassandra with disbelief. Even the professors were speechless.

Harry finally snapped out of his trance. "Why did you do that for?" he yelled.

Cassandra simply smiled sweetly at him. "But Harry, isn't it OK for a girl to kiss her betrothed?"

Harry suddenly started pale. "W-what d-do you m-mean b-by betrothed."

"I am your betrothed Harry. I am your fiancé." The silence that filled the hall after this announcement was deafening.

"WHAT?!" yelled Harry. "How could you be my fiancé?!"

This was followed by a number of murmurs throughout the Great Hall. Draco Malfoy even shouted, "Did you hear that? Famous Potter even gets a wife without any effort." Ron was still staring at Cassandra speechless. Nobody noticed Hermione as everyone's attention was tuned to Harry and Cassandra.

Wordlessly, Cassandra pulled a parchment from her robes. Harry grabbed it and saw that it was a magical contract. He read it out loud:

We the parents of the below mentioned hereby declare that our offspring, Harry James Potter and Cassandra Lilith Frost shall be wed after they come of age at the age of eighteen.

February 1st, 1981

Harry simply stared at the parchment in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his parents had bonded him to life with someone he had never met. Murmurs once again spread throughout the Great Hall as people stood up and tried to make their way to Harry and Cassandra and decide for themselves whether the contract was real or not. Amidst all the chaos, no one had noticed that Hermione had run out of the Great Hall crying.

Harry stared at Cassandra who was smiling sweetly. "You see Harry, we are meant for each other."

* * * * * * * * * *

Later that night, Harry was pacing back and forth in Dumbledore's office. Also present there along with Harry and the headmaster were Harry's godfather Sirius Black and Remus Lupin who had returned that year as the Defense against the Dark Arts professor. Dumbledore finally spoke, "I am very sorry, Harry."

"Sorry?!" yelled Harry in disbelief. At this point he didn't care that he was speaking with the headmaster. "I just found out that my parents had set me up with someone for life without my consent!"

"That's not entirely true, Harry," said Lupin.

"What do you mean?"

Sirius sighed and said, "Lily and James had know idea that they had been tricked into doing this."

"What?"

"The Frosts are one of the most influential pure blood families in England," said Dumbledore. "They have had a long time friendship with the Potters and it was decided decades ago that their two families would join together as one at a certain time. That time happened to be the time when you and Cassandra were born."

"But the thing was, James and Lily wanted nothing to do with it," said Sirius. "So the Frosts tricked them into signing the magical contract and kept that fact a secret from them. James and Lily died never knowing that you were betrothed to the Frosts' daughter."

"Harry, you are aware of what happens if you break a magical contract right?" said Lupin. "You end up living a cursed life of misery and despair."

Harry was still pacing back and forth. "Is there any way I can be released from this contract?"

"There are two ways to be released from a magical contract," said Dumbledore. "The first way is if one of the betrothed dies prematurely. The other way is if one of those who originally signed the contract crosses off his or her name." He studied the contract for a minute. "Unfortunately, Robert Frost was killed by Death Eaters a few weeks after he signed this contract. However, I believe that Marilyn Frost currently resides in Romania."

"I'll go search for her and try to get her to cross her name off the contract," said Sirius. He grinned. "After all, I'm sure she'd oblige after a little convincing from a `dangerous' fugitive."

Dumbledore nodded. "Good luck Sirius." Sirius tucked the contract into his robes as he shook hands with Dumbledore. He also embraced Lupin and ruffled Harry's hair before he changed into a black dog and left the office. "We'll sort this all out, Harry," said Dumbledore.

"I sure hope so," said Harry as he plopped down on one of the chairs facing Dumbledore's desk. "Otherwise I've just got two more years to enjoy single life."

* * * * * * * * * *

Hermione was in her dorm room, crying into her pillow. There was a silent knock on the door and Ron's voice came quietly, "Hermione?"

"Go away," squeaked Hermione. Ron ignored her and walked into the room. He sat down on Hermione's bed right next to her.

"You want to tell me why you're crying?" he asked. There was much concern in his voice.

"No."

"Come on Hermione. Tell Dr. Ronny about what's been eating you."

Hermione slowly lifted her face from the pillow. Her eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were stained with tears. "Harry's got a fiancé," she said. "He's getting married."

Ron snorted. "I'll say. That git gets to have everything doesn't he; even a future wife. But is it really something to cry about?" Hermione simply remained quiet and let a few more tears fall. Something suddenly dawned on Ron. "Hermione? No bloody way!"

"Yes," mumbled Hermione as a blush settled on her cheeks.

"You're in love with Harry?"

Hermione nodded mutely and burst into another round of sobs.

"Since when?"

"First year. Since the troll."

"Throughout our entire friendship?" Hermione nodded. Ron seemed to be absorbing this new information before he said, "You have to tell him."

"He's under a magical contract, Ron. You know what that means. If I tell him, it won't just ruin our friendship. It'll ruin his life!" Hermione buried her face into her pillow once more and continued crying. Ron had nothing to say so he gently rubbed her back. After a while, Hermione calmed down a little. She looked up at Ron and offered him a weak smile.

"Thank you for being here for me Ron. I'll be alright."

"Are you sure?" Hermione still had tears leaking out of her eyes but she nodded. Ron pulled her into a gentle hug before he left the room. A few minutes later, Hermione drifted off to sleep.

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A/N How did you like this first chapter? Does it catch your attention? The genre of this story is horror and the horror will start from next chapter. So read and review this story. I hope it can live up to everyone's expectations although it's not going to be as long as my previous stories. Enjoy.