Author's Note and Disclaimer: I don't own them, wish I owned Percy though. The chapters will be flashbacks to Harry's 5th year. The flashback chapters that will come soon after a few of the regular chapters ought to clear up some of the things like Percy's being a Death Eater. Hope I didn't confuse y'all, and if I did, I'm sorry.



1 A Little Thing Called Ambition

Chapter 3: Reflections of A Death Eater

1.1 By Gila Draper

Percy watched in silence as the girl Vanetta Wood was led away by a sulky Matthias Fudge. He remained staring at the door, after Fudge slammed after Vanetta, a little harder than he needed to, Percy thought.

He'd have to keep an eye on Fudge Jr. The boy was rebellious and hated Percy with a passion which was fueled daily.

And Percy would be damned if he started acting sweet and sappy to Matthias Leo Fudge. The little so-and-so wasn't getting any soft treatment from Percival Weasly.

And then there was that Wood girl, Victoria or Veronica or something like that. She wasn't scared of him (that trembling business had probably been pre-interview jitters). And she seemed to take him seriously enough…but that wasn't the problem, he had his suspicions of someone who wanted to willingly work for an ex-Death Eater.

Sure, he'd had other assistants, but those girls had been jolted to the position without their consent. Sort of like an unwelcome promotion. And he'd cleared those tittering idiots out in about three weeks flat.

Yes, he thought, glancing down at Vanetta's portfolio. This girl would be very interesting. Yes. He'd send her an owl tomorrow.

Suddenly there was a timid knock on the door, which shook Percy from his thoughts.

"Come in."

Daedalus Diggle poked a gray streaked head into the office, grinning madly. While Daedalus was a bit erratic, Percy like him. Diggle had supported his campaign for office even under Percy's…circumstances.

"Guess what?" Diggle asked, though he clearly knew, "what"' and was attempting to keep Percy in suspense.

"I have no earthly idea,'' Percy replied wearily.

This was a game Daedalus played with him, and though Percy was usually unresponsive it seemed to afford Daedalus a great deal of amusement.

Daedalus slouched into the office, leaning on the door as it shut.

"You're going out tonight," Daedalus declared, with the air of someone who has made an irrevocable decision.

"If you've set me up with someone you'll have to face Penny's wrath you know," Percy reminded him.

Several years ago when Percy had first come to the Ministry Daedalus had attempted to fix him up with multiple witches. This wouldn't have been a problem but for two reasons:

Daedalus had absolutely NO taste in women to speak of, (Percy still got shudders from thinking of the Vampire Hunter he'd gone out with!)

And also, Percy had been engaged, and Penelope Clearwater had not been pleased to find her fiancé going out with other witches.



"I know, I know. I wasn't talking about that anyway," Diggle told him, with an impatient wave of one hand.



Percy raised one eyebrow skeptically at his impulsive friend and Daedalus gave him a grin that was pure wickedness.



"We're going to the Leaky Cauldron my friend, and I'm going to teach you the fine art of getting really drunk."