the_debt_of_time

Sirius continued to drink, and Mia eventually took the bottle away from him,
swallowing a large gulp herself before passing it off to a server beside her.
"Narcissa of the House of Black," the presiding wizard intoned. "Turn to your new
Lord Husband and make your vow."
"I, Narcissa of the House of Black, give to you, Lucius of the House of Malfoy, my
virtue and m-my voice. My body and my obedience."
Sirius winced at the words, and Mia took his hand in a gesture of comfort.
"To take your name as my own and uphold it with honour and purity. I pledge to
you my firstborn son, your heir who will carry on your legacy and the legacy of your fathers.
I.. ." Narcissa hesitated for a moment, and Sirius stood at attention, watching eagerly.
"I willingly bind myself to you until death separates us and swear this vow upon my
magic. Suscipiam illud vinculum," she chanted, and the black cord around her wrist glowed
before turning silver to match the other.
Sirius deflated, and Mia held his hand tighter. She waited for Lucius to make his
vows to his new wife, but when none came, her brows knit together in confusion, especially
when the presiding wizard said, "I now declare you bonded for life!"
There was polite applause, and the guests all stood at once to form a line and make
their congratulations. Servants surrounding Sirius and Mia went to work, carrying around
silver platters stacked with flutes of champagne and small tumblers of firewhisky.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Mia muttered, shocked by what she'd just witnessed.
"He didn't vow anything to her. He's supposed to say something."
"Let's go, Mia. Suddenly, crashing the party doesn't seem so fun after watching my
cousin willingly enslave herself." Sirius tugged on her hand to leave, but she stood firm as
though she were still waiting for the ceremony to continue. For someone to shout "Stop!
We forgot something!" but no one did.
"I've seen a wizard marriage before." She thought of Bill and Fleur, who had been
bonded with love and devotion, each making beautiful vows toward the other. "That
wasn't―"
"Normal?" Sirius asked. "No. That was an old bonding ceremony. Narcissa just tied
her magic to Malfoy for life, and it wasn't even a proper Marriage Bond. It sounded more
like what.. ." He hesitated, and a bitter expression fell over his beautiful features. "Like
what happens when we get a new house-elf."