"You wish me to spy on the Ministry," Percy Weasley said, stiffly.
"No," Albus Dumbledore said.
"I wish you to keep on the Minister for Magic."
"That's treason! I won't do it."
"Percy, please. I have reason to believe that Lord Voldemort ..."
Percy twitched at the mention of the name.
"... is planning to infiltrate the Ministry. Indeed, he already has," said Dumbledore. "I know of one Death Eater already in the higher etchelons of the Ministry ..."
Percy paled.
"I don't wish you to betray the Ministry or on the Minister but to protect it. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity—that the new Minister isn't been influenced by outside forces. If they start making unusual decisions, it could be a sign of the imperius curse. And keep an eye on those around the Minister. I am certain Voldemort will try to place the imperious curse on those close to the Minister—either to carry out an execution or place an imperious curse on the Minister itself."
"I will monitor," Percy said, with a small nod. "But I will not supply information on the Minister's efforts to combat You-Know-Who."
"I won't ask you to."
"Or any of the goings on the Ministry. I won't betray the Ministry."
"Again, I won't ever ask you to," said Dumbledore.
"But I will monitor," Percy said. "If I see any suspicious activity. Any sign that anyone close to the Minister is acting under the Imperious curse, I will inform you."
"Thank you, Percy," said Dumbledore. "Now, for your disguise to work, you need to sever all ties with your family."
Percy paled. "You can't be serious? My family?"
"You need to refuse to join the Order of the Phoenix. They won't be pleased. Everybody ... everybody needs to think you are a Ministry man through and through. Can you do that?"
"You ask so much ..."
"I need so much. This is all to defeat Lord Voldemort."
Percy hesitated and gave a small nod. "I will do it," he said.
When Percy had left, Dumbledore summoned Severus Snape.
"What is your standing in the Death Eaters?" Dumbledore asked, without preamble.
"Poor," Snape said. "I am a werewolf, of course he thinks little of me. They all do."
Dumbledore gave a small nod. "Intolerance to be expected of the Death Eaters, and yet, the rest of wizard kind do little better."
Snape didn't reply.
"And yet, he believes you are loyal."
"He does," Snape said. "Informing Crabbe and Goyle of the incoming Auror raid certainly helped."
"A tough choice," Dumbledore said. "But one I made to get you closer to Lord Voldemort."
It had been tough, Dumbledore had agonized over the decision after he made it, but it was for the greater good. Neither Crabbe and Goyle were particularly skilled Death Eaters. It worth them going free for longer in order to build Snape's trust with Voldemort. He had been dispatched to warn them about the upcoming raid and while it meant two Death Eaters went free, it meant that Snape, despite being a werewolf, had proven some of his loyalty once more.
"He sent me here to spy on you." Snape said.
"And spy on me you shall," Dumbledore said.
"I need more," said Snape. "If I am to get close to the Dark Lord again ... I need to give him more. Something to make him value me. Something that will make him fully trust me."
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "You need to be at his side at the end. It is imperative. He must trust you absolutely."
Snape said nothing, waiting.
"You will inform Lord Voldemort of a secret member of the Order of the Phoenix—Percy Weasley."
"Percy?" Snape looked shocked.
"Yes. He is my eyes and ears inside the Ministry. Nobody else knows. You are the only one who knows. You will tell Lord Voldemort of this most secret member of the Order."
"I do not think it will be enough," said Snape.
"It will do for now," Dumbledore replied. "We will provide more information with time and slowly rebuild your standing with Lord Voldemort."
"Is he to die?" Snape asked, simply.
"No," Said Dumbledore. "Lord Voldemort will not kill Percy Weasley. You are the only one who knows that he is with the Order of the Phoenix. If Lord Voldemort moves against Percy Weasley, I will know that it was you who supplied the information, and Lord Voldemort believes he will lose his spy, for the sake of a low priority target. No, Lord Voldemort will be interested to know I have a spy in the Ministry, but he will not act on the information. Percy will be safe."
Snape gave a nod. "I will leave immediately."
"Good luck, Severus," said Dumbledore.
Dumbledore walked to the window of his office and gazed out across the castle lawns.
Severus Snape was a problem. It was imperative that Voldemort trust him, yet with Snape being a werewolf, that trust would be hard. Voldemort hated halfbreeds.
The information on Percy Weasley was good. But there needed to be more.
His heart felt heavy, suddenly. Everything that he did was for the greater good. But sometimes, that meant others had to die so the rest could live. Sometimes, sacrifices needed to be made for the greater good. It was a heavy burden.