Chapter 1
Being Weatherby is Quite Prestigious
Percy Weasley sits at the heads table of the Great Hall, looking around importantly. Less than a year ago, he would have been one of those students, but now he is the personal assistant to Barty Crouch. Grinning with self importance, Percy puffs out his chest proudly, only to remember that there is no longer a head boy badge sitting there.
"Mr. Weasley," suddenly Albus Dumbledore is sitting next to him, blue eyes twinkling over his half moon spectacles, "what a surprise to see you here. Am I incorrect in assuming that you could not keep away from your dear old school?" Dumbledore chuckles at his own joke and Percy can feel his ears beginning to turn red.
"Actually Professor, I'm here filling in for Mr. Crouch," he elaborated under the much older man's piercing gaze, "He has fallen sick and I have taken over in his absence, as his Junior Assistant." He tacks on the last part of his statement quite unnecessarily and Dumbledore chuckles at the obvious pride in the young man's voice.
"Poor Barty," Dumbledore exclaims, "give him my best will you Mr. Weasley." Percy nods enthusiastically, pleased at having a job to do. Everyone from Harry Potter to Ludo Bagman, who has no right to be asking after Mr. Crouch, seems to be going to him with their questions.
Being Mr. Crouch's personal assistant has seemingly made him, Percy Weasley, the most important man in the room, and he begins to bask in the attention. "Oh yes," he finds himself telling Igor Karkaroff, "Mr. Crouch trusts me with everything he would normally do himself. Being his assistant is quite the prestigious position; he wouldn't have trusted just anyone with the job." The headmaster of Durmstrang is trying to catch the eye of another teacher, but Percy does not notice, he simply rambles on and takes another sip of mead. "He sends in owls every few days with instructions," Percy continues, "but I paid very close attention my first few months, I already know my way around, I barely have to read the letters to know what is expected of me and everyone else in the department."
Mostly, Percy is able to ignore the nagging in the back of his head, reminders that Barty Crouch still addressed his instructions to Weatherby. About halfway through the ball, he looks across the great hall to see Ron talking to Viktor Krum, things certainly seemed to be looking up for the Weasley family. After years of living under his father's shadow, being part of that family who barely scraped by because of their unnatural love for muggles, he was going to make a name for himself at the Ministry and being Barty Crouch's personal assistant was the first step.