Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: I've had an idea for this story for a couple of years now, something very political and dark and scheming, with ordinarily unexpected people in the centre of it all, pulling the strings without anyone realising. And this is the start. It didn't end quite the way I imagined – I had a line in mind which I'll most likely use in the next chapter – but I don't think it's too disgraceful. More importantly, it's starting to set the political landscape. Please sincerely tell me what you think; too wordy? Too dull? Out of character? Poor grammar? Please, reviews are the only way us authors have of knowing what people really think.

Puppets in the Shadows

Chapter I

Cho's face was marred with annoyance as she walked briskly into her office in the cloudy morning, her lips drawn into a displeased, thin line. Government work had never appealed to her and she wasn't impressed with her desk job in the least, but that wasn't what had ruined her mood. It was who she had met with the night before – Marietta.

Through all the crap they'd both been through, with all their losses and sufferings, arguments and disagreements, they'd remained friends but it was a particularly trying time for them both. Marietta still couldn't find a job, her facial scarring making her an undesirable employee and her pride making her reluctant to get help from any of her friends. And for Cho, it was frustrating that she had neither been able to find a cure for the scarring, nor been able to convince Marietta to get work, even temporarily, with any of their numerous friends. Marietta's pride remained in the way and she clearly couldn't see what Cho could – a scared, angry young girl whose cheeks were sunken in, ribs showing through skin an unhealthy colour, hurt hidden by every other emotion.

She had suspicions as to why Marietta found it hard to get a job. It certainly wasn't her academics; Marietta had received Outstandings in most of her subjects. Cho bit her lip indecisively. She certainly had her suspicions but she couldn't be sure that it wasn't just a biased suspicion. And if it wasn't, how could she prove it? It didn't matter anyway; the society was beyond fucked, as far as she could tell, swinging from one extreme to the other, careless of the innocents they hurt in the process.

"Luna," She smiled at the blonde girl, waiting outside her office. It was a rare day that she got to see Luna, who was usually traversing planes others couldn't even imagine, discovering animals that people thought didn't exist. And living her dreams through and through, in the process.

"I wanted to see you," Luna said, without any preamble, any 'hello's or any 'how are you's. She said what she thought and felt. It was wonderfully refreshing to have someone who just didn't give a damn.

Unfortunately, Cho did. She forced any remnants of her previous frown away, pushed concerns about Marietta as far back in her mind as it could possibly go, and all the more overwhelming jaded views on the world around was put nicely in a box, so Luna wouldn't have to put up with any of her angst.

"I'm glad," She replied to Luna. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you for a few months yet."

"I didn't think so either," Luna smiled a smile that was particularly sweet and charming. "But I got worried and I thought you might understand."

This was something else that didn't happen often – Luna, worried. For all that Luna saw through the pretences surrounding her, she had ever the optimistic outlook in life. "What's got you worried?" Rolf making his feelings too obvious, too soon? But that was an idle concern and Luna wouldn't get particularly worried by it; she'd get irritated and distant, but not worried.

"Do you know anything about French politics?" The question took Cho by surprise, and while she blinked and gathered her wits, Luna continued without waiting for a reply. "We should go inside. I want to discuss some things with you in private. I think...you'll see it my way." Cho was given a measuring look she hadn't seen on Luna before that made her seem far less ethereal and far more solid, present, here, and, even, a little dangerous.

Closing the door behind her and taking her usual seat in her chair at the desk, she looked at Luna uncertainly. "French politics? I don't think I know anything much about that – not more than the average lay-person of course."

"Then find out more." Luna's eye was wondering around the room, no doubt taking in details nobody else would notice but would be intuitive or telling about Cho.

"What's this about, Luna?" Maybe it was her dull job; maybe it was frustration at the blind, never changing world around her but Cho was intrigued and more than willing to quit her job, should that be required, to pursue this 'French politics"...scheme? Investigation? Whatever it was that Luna required of her.

"I need you to find out about what's going on in the French political world." Luna's gaze returned abruptly to Cho's. "And I don't mean the things the lay-people know. Or the things that the insiders know. I want you to go deeper than that." She watched with satisfaction as Cho gave a slow, understanding nod. She knew she'd chosen the right person for help; someone who understood that politics was the deadliest, dirtiest career and that nobody knew what was really happening except those who were pulling the strings. She'd find out soon enough just who was implicated in what...and she had a feeling that she would even be willing to help that person. For all her bitterness, she wasn't one to hold grudges against childhood stupidity or cowardice. Like most Ravenclaws, she was incredibly open-minded and Luna flushed with pleasure as she realised how good a friend Cho had become, to be willing to do this just because she'd asked, without asking for any evidence, without even thinking about money, without a single grain of doubt. "Thanks," she said, with a sudden rush of shyness she rarely felt. Cho's smile in response was swift and sweet, warming, and Luna hoped that she'd done the right thing, because if anything that she's learnt has been true, even the nicest and best of people can do terrible things in the name of good and justice. She doesn't think one of them is Cho. She's too honest with herself; she knows her flaws and accepts it, even if she doesn't try to improve them, Luna thinks, as she remembers how often this smile used to come into play once upon a time. But time changes everything and everyone and Cho is no different. Cho's changed, just as she has and just as all the good guys have and the bad guys, if you could really call them such. And life goes on, and Luna thinks, but never says it out loud, that that's the saddest thing about it all. Life goes on.

"Have lunch with me later?" The shyness has gone for the most part.

"How about a breakfast? I'll owl them my resignation letter-"

"You don't have to quit, you know," Luna interrupts her quickly, although she knows it won't change her mind.

"I know but...I'd rather focus on all this French politics stuff," Cho's nose crinkles as she mentions the perplexing, scant information she's received but her warm smile returns a moment later and they both leave, for an early breakfast and a bittersweet chat about the past, the present and the future, but never touching topics that are still just too sensitive.