Disclaimer and Author's Note: Don't own them and yes, that's my final answer. This is turning into a very fun fic to write so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. (By the way, flashbacks will be interwoven throughout the story to clear up some points in the story, in case anything is confusing.)

By the way, the chapters will get longer but I'm trying to get the stage set for the longer bits.

Smiles, Gila : )

1 A Little Thing Called Ambition

1.1 By Gila Draper

Chapter 2: Family Connections

Percy scowled imperiously at the young who sat in front of him, dark brown hair pulled back, away from her face but resting on her shoulders and an idiotically earnest expression on her face.

"You're applying for the position as my personal assistant, are you not?" Percy inquired, trying his best to sound impersonal.

"Yes," the girl sounded faintly breathless, big brown eyes wide. "I've got a resume and recommendations, a-and a profile," in one trembling had she thrust a manila folder onto the desk, which he scooped up like a hawk.

He opened the folder in one hand a shoved his spectacles up his nose with the other and began skimming the contents of the folder with mild interest.

"Yes…yes…good," the man muttered to himself, though the praise seemed automatic. She could picture him muttering like this to every interviewee. Then she saw him do a startled double take.

"You're related to Oliver Wood?"

She nodded and was surprised to see him smile.

"How is the old bloke? Haven't seen him in ages…I went to school with him you know," Percy told her with a knowing expression.

"Yes, he told me. He's doing fine, did you see him at the World Cup last year?"

Percy nodded, leaning against the edge of his desk, "kept on playing even after that daft Costa Rican Beater dislocated his shoulder with a Bludger. He always was a Quidditch fanatic." Weasly shook his head ruefully then quickly left his reminiscing and was all business once more.

"Now, anyway, back to business. No use wasting good time," Percy declared briskly, going around to sit behind his desk, resting his elbows on it.

If Oliver was a fanatic about Quidditch, Percy Weasly was a fanatic about work, reflected Vanetta.

Percy's intense blue eyes roved over her critically. " Your recommendations speak very highly at you and I suppose you are qualified, OVER qualified in fact. You don't have any blots on any of the reports I got from Hogwarts, excellent N.E.W.T.S…But…" He trailed off, a slight pain flashing across his face. Then he started once again in a slightly husky voice.

"But nothing actually. You may go, I'll have my people contact you if you get the job."

He gave her a nod as regal as any king, which indicated that that was her cue to leave.

She attempted a winning smile, which he did not return, and allowed herself be ushered from the room by a mutinous looking Matthias, who had been summoned to escort her.

Shooting her dark looks all the way down the hall to the Ministry's fireplace he handed her a sufficient amount of Floo Powder and stalked off, evidently still smarting from the embarrassment of being reprimanded by the Minister.

Throwing the handful into the fire it glowed an emerald green and she stepped into it yelling, " ECHO LANE!"

And promptly vanished.