Review Responses:
DarthRoden – Glad you liked the Luna stuff I think she's definitely more in touch with reality than people give her credit for. Thanks for the review!
Dark-Lady-Devinity – Glad you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for reviewing!
cooldot – Percy and Snape are here! And they'll be back again soon! As to Ron and Luna or Ron and Hermione I'm not telling just yet but trust me I don't think you'll be disappointed, at least I hope you won't be! Neville has way too hard a time of things but something nice will happen to him eventually I would imagine as he is one of my favourite characters. The Malfoys are mentioned here but do bear in mind Narcissa's not really smug – she's more enraged and maternal and rather cold towards most people. Glad you enjoyed, hope you'll keep reading. Thanks for the review!
Rutu – Ok, lots of people asking that question! Yeah, she does, (who can blame her?) but that doesn't mean anything will necessarily happen, there is romance in Ron's future but I'm not saying with who! Sorry, you'll have to keep reading! Thanks for the review!
honestiago – Aw thanks, you know I always love your reviews! I'll take a look at The Patient's new chapter as soon as I get a chance! Thanks for reviewing!
hydraspit – Percy's back! Glad you liked Seamus's POV. I am continuing this story regardless of the sixth book. I've read it and loved it but this is going to continue as it was planned before the book was released. It'll be AU that's correct to the first five books but disregards any information given in sixth. I hope people keep reading anyway but we shall see. Thanks for the review!
ElavielBlack – Got the impression I wasn't fond of dear little Hermione? Lol! I'm not! She really annoys me and I hated her in book five, she was a bit better in book six though. I'm glad you thought I handled the Neville and Seamus stuff alright, it was interesting to write but difficult as well. I did indeed enjoy HBP, in fact I loved it! Hope you did too! Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: Right, just reaffirming the fact I will be continuing with this regardless of the sixth book, I loved it but there's way too much plot written for this for me to change it now so it'll be drastically AU but then I always thought it would end up that way so I just hope people keep reading. Thanks to everyone who does. :o)
Thanks also to those who reviewed Understanding and for those of you who asked, yes I'm afraid it was just a one-shot.
A Subtle ChangeEmphasis
Chapter 3
Percy was, after one of the longest, and most stressful, and confusing summers of his life, settling back into work and into the Order of the Phoenix. Druscilla Thornfield was turning out to be a very interesting boss; he wasn't sure what to make of her at all some days. Thankfully she was an enigma he didn't have to deal with for another hour or so at least, first thing this morning was a meeting of the Order.
Percy was sat, along with most of his family, in the large kitchen at Grimmauld Place where Molly had insisted they have the meeting so that she could brew up tea and coffee to keep people from dozing off. By 'people' it was clear she meant Mundungus Fletcher who had developed a habit of falling asleep during the meetings.
The meeting came suddenly to order as Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall entered the kitchen and sat down at the end of the table.
The Hogwarts Headmaster smiled cordially around the group and began to speak. "I appreciate that this is an uncomfortably early hour of the morning for most of you but some of us have to be ready to have breakfast with the students of Hogwarts in three quarters of an hour's time and several of us are busy this evening so this was the only time slot I could find for our little gathering. I will try to keep this brief and with that in mind let us begin. Several of you have been following various suspicious people for a while now and I'd like an update. Has anyone got anything interesting to report?"
Kingsley began handing a report around, "We've compiled most of our results, and they're being passed out at the moment but the synopsis is that, after their disastrous efforts to secure the prophecy, the Death Eaters and their known associates are mostly lying low, they've certainly not given us anything particularly useful."
"There was one person in particular I wanted to ask about," Dumbledore continued, "I've mentioned to you previously the threats made to Molly on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Has Narcissa Malfoy done anything we might classify as interesting or unusual? Dedalus you were following her, is there anything to tell?"
Dedalus Diggle looked up from Kingsley's report. "That depends on how interesting you find full day shopping trips! Professor Dumbledore, all she does is go out with her son or on her own, she never meets anyone else and whatever she's up to in the Manor I've no way of finding out. I honestly think it's a waste of time tailing her. Besides anything else, I think she's begun to notice, she's taken to glancing behind her all the time so she's definitely not going to risk doing anything."
Dumbldore nodded, "Alright. Take over from Tonks on MacNair. She's expressed the same concern about him knowing he was being followed by her and Kingsley tells me he needs her to be more available within the ministry."
"Hold on a moment," Remus Lupin spoke up in his quiet tones, "If we leave Narcissa uncovered what's to stop her making some kind of a move? She's exactly the kind of person we don't expect trouble from, which puts her in a pretty good position to cause it. Particularly if she realises she's not being followed anymore. And it seems she does have a wish to cause trouble."
"I disagree. Even during the last war she's always been someone to sit back and let someone else take action, I've always got the impression her bark's worse than her bite," Professor McGonagall argued. "Besides, she steps out into society and suddenly she's the centre of attention, it's always been that way, she can hardly hang around down Knockturn Alley with the suspicion already on her family so I really don't think she'll give us any trouble."
Dumbldore seemed to consider what Remus and McGonagall had said, "Despite her threats on September 1st, I'm tempted to agree with Minerva about Narcissa, I can't see her publicly doing anything in connection with Voldemort. Severus, have you seen her recently?"
Severus Snape shook his head, "No. I saw her a couple of times over the summer but she's mostly at home, it's seems she's got little interest in what's happening without her husband around. I'm not saying I can't see her acting on her own but she'd need one hell of a provocation I think to drag her out of the depression the loss of Lucius has sent her into."
"That settles it then, Dedalus, you can stop tailing her and move onto MacNair," Dumbledore decided.
Percy lost the rest of the conversation as his thoughts turned to the events of September 1st. Dumbledore had been told by Charlie and had briefed the Order on what had happened with Narcissa, no one had seemed too worried but Percy could see that his parents still were. There had been something about the calm, dismissive air about Narcissa Malfoy that didn't fit with threats made in the heat of the moment and Percy had the horrible feeling that she had meant every word and likely had the means to back them up, and he'd have felt much more comfortable if someone was keeping a close eye on her. Still, he kept his mouth shut, Dumbledore had already made up his mind and all Percy would do was further alienate himself within a group in which some had not entirely accepted him with open arms upon his return.
Percy glanced up to see the meeting was breaking up. Pushing his copy of Kingsley's report into his briefcase Percy stood up and straightened his robes, he was due at the ministry in an hour but there was no harm in being early.
Charlie however had other ideas, "Where are you going?" he asked as Percy tried to leave. "You haven't had any breakfast and you're not due at work for ages yet!"
"I want to get in early and I'm really not hungry!" Percy protested, hoping his mother wouldn't hear them.
"Percy! Have you not had anything to eat yet today!" Molly Weasley had heard the conversation between her sons and was not best pleased.
"Well, I'm really not hungry mum," Percy attempted to slip away.
"Nonsense! You need to keep your strength up! You only got out of hospital a couple of weeks ago!"
"I'm fine, really!"
"No you're not, Percival Weasley! You are going to sit down," she pushed him back into his seat at the table, "And have some breakfast! I'm making some for Remus anyway so you can have some too!"
Remus Lupin looked about to protest when Molly fixed him with a 'don't push your luck' glare and he sat down meekly next to Percy, "That's very kind of you, Molly. I can cook for myself though and I'm going to have to get used to it anyway with you moving back to the Burrow soon."
It had been decided that Molly, Arthur and their three eldest sons would move back to their family home. Fred and George were staying at Grimauld Place to try and set up a shop in Diagon Alley and Remus Lupin was also to stay there. Percy glanced at the greying man with sympathy, Remus had been quieter than usual after Sirius' death everyone had said and indeed he did look much more haggard than he had when he had been Percy's teacher, as though many more than just two years had passed.
Arthur and Charlie both decided to stay for breakfast as well and Molly soon had the kitchen full of the smell of bacon.
It was half an hour before Percy could escape, thankfully without the packed lunch his mum had been trying to set him up with, and he finally made it to work.
XXXXXXX
Druscilla Thornfield had a large office on level five of the ministry. She was as far from the lift as it was possible to get and Percy suspected that that was so that visitors had to walk down the long hallway to reach her, therefore having time to be impressed by the various goings on around them and by the pristine condition of this particular floor. Thornfield could be very particular when it came to this and fresh flowers were arranged here daily for the benefit of the various foreign dignitaries, for whom this was often their first glimpse of the British Ministry. Percy's boss knew the importance of a good first impression and knew how to create one.
Percy's own office was just down the corridor from his boss', he was the head of the International Magical Cooperation Department but in reality it was Druscilla Thornfield who oversaw everything that happened within the Department, Percy was just running it for her, but that suited him. He had a feeling that being given his own department to do as he liked with would have been a little bit too much to handle just yet.
Percy was allowed a fairly free reign but, if anything began to grow beyond his ability to cope with, Druscilla had a knack of knowing about it and dealing with it herself. People had soon found out that to mess with her newest employee made Druscilla Thornfield rather annoyed and no one wanted to annoy Percy's boss. Most people found it safer just to avoid her.
Upon reaching his office he found a note stuck to the door:
Percy,
In a meeting with the top idiot so behave yourself and don't create any problems this morning! Not that I think you will but this morning's meeting actually has a purpose and it's very important so don't interrupt me under any circumstances!
Druscilla
P.S. If the minister's personal assistant shows up early for that lunch meeting, interrupt me! I want to be rude to him in person.
Percy sighed, his boss was clearly not having a good day. He knew she'd been worked up about the Minster's new personal assistant all week and was making it her new pastime to insult the young man in every possible way, though Percy had to admit he was insufferable. He hoped desperately that he had not been like that when he had held the position.
Thornfield always signed her notes Druscilla but none of her underlings called her that, she was Professor Thornfield to most people. As for the 'top idiot' she referred to, that was poor Fudge who Percy couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for after he'd had to deal with Druscilla, who acted as though Fudge was an errant child who had been let loose by some dreadful accident into what was in fact her ministry.
Percy had a reasonably productive morning, conducting a meeting and sorting out a dispute between some Goblins and the Belgian ministry who they had accidentally insulted by not getting a proper grasp of the language and saying something deeply unfortunate about the Belgian Minister's mother.
Around half past eleven Percy's secretary knocked on the door and stuck her head around it, "Someone to see you, Mr Weasley."
Remus Lupin was shown in.
"Hello, Remus," Percy greeted him a little awkwardly, he still could not get used to referring to a former teacher by their first name but the werewolf had insisted upon it.
"Hello, Percy, I'm afraid your mother sent me to track you down."
Percy was on his feet before Remus had finished the sentence, a hundred horrifying scenarios running through his mind. "What's happened!"
"Nothing," Remus gestured to Percy to sit back down, "Calm down. Your mother just wanted me to bring you your lunch, apparently you left without it earlier." He placed a paper bag on the desk, eyes twinkling with mirth. "It could be worse, Percy," he said at seeing the young man's embarrassment, "I accidentally interrupted your father in a meeting to give him his."
Percy laughed, "Poor dad. Thank you, Remus."
"Oh it was no problem, Percy, it gave me something to do. It gets awfully dull around Grimmauld Place sometimes."
"Wait until the twins are there without mum to keep control of them!" Percy warned.
Remus chuckled, "Oh I'm sure I can handle them, I shared a dormitory with Sirius Black and James Potter and came off not too much the worse for it so I dare say I'll manage."
Percy smiled, pleased to see the man talk about his lost friends in a tone that suggested good memories rather than painful ones. He was contemplating whether it would be tactful to ask how Remus had been doing when his door was pushed open. Knowing that only one person did that without knocking, Percy stood up instantly to face the woman in the doorway.
Remus also turned to look at her. The woman was tall, about forty, with dark, tightly curling hair piled attractively atop her head, the odd tendril artistically falling around her neck. She wore a lilac robe over a deep blue/purple matching suit consisting of a skirt and tailored jacket with a crisp white blouse underneath. Her conservative outfit however entirely failed to make her look conservative, of course it didn't help that the blouse was veering towards a little too low cut and the skirt a little too short and showing off long, slender legs ending in a deeply impractical, but highly stylish, looking pair of high heels. All in all though what caught Remus' attention was the aura the woman gave off, one of someone who seemed supremely alive. Energy was written all over her face, as was a look of stubbornness and determination. Her posture was of one who had supreme self-confidence and was accustomed to being treated with either respect or fear and often with longing.
"Good morning, Professor Thornfield," Percy greeted her. "This is Remus Lupin, he's a family friend." Remus looked pleased by the description. "Remus, this is my boss Professor Thornfield."
The woman smiled at her young employee, amused at his almost military attention as she had entered, "We've met thank you, Percy."
"You have?" Percy relaxed a little in his surprise.
"Not in person," Remus extended a hand, "It's nice to meet you face to face, Professor."
The tall woman accepted his hand, "You too, and please call me Druscilla."
Remus gave his usual charming smile, "Then you must call me Remus. I just called to see your assistant."
She smiled back at him, "I don't suppose you have a spare moment do you? Fudge is still banging on about tagging werewolves and I'm desperately trying to throw him off it. Don't worry, I'll manage it, even if he passes it into law I'll make sure it's so complicated as to be entirely unenforceable but letting it pass into law would create a dangerous precedent so I'd rather that didn't happen. If you have some time could you step into my office and read my opposing article? Also, this is going to sound awful, but I'd love to have an example of a werewolf who's a capable and well-meaning, well-rounded human being, could I persuade you to be my example?"
"Well, if it would help then of course and I have some time to spare."
"Great, if you're done with my assistant then follow me to my office."
Remus nodded, "Right, see you later Percy."
"Good day, Remus." Percy watched the two of them leave with a little trepidation, Thornfield had a bit of a reputation when it came to men younger than herself and Percy could only hope she'd behave. Then again anything that took her attention from him and stopped her giving him appreciative looks whenever she saw him was definitely welcome as far as he was concerned!
XXXXXXX
Druscilla Thornfield sized up the man in front of her, eyeing him critically without bothering to hide this from him. He was dressed in clothes she wouldn't have given houseroom and yet they seemed to suit him, they had an air of what might once have been elegance but was now decidedly decay. She was willing to bet that if she could have seen his socks they'd have needed darning. That was her first impression, before looking beyond the cardigan to the man himself. She decided instantly that the fact he could pull off a cardigan without looking ridiculous or over the age of sixty was definitely a mark in his favour. His age she couldn't quite determine, younger than herself she thought but his face had an ageless quality despite the haggard look, the bags under the sad eyes and the streaks of grey in the auburn hair. He had an intelligent look about him and she could well believe what she already knew, that he had once been a teacher, and what she could make out of his body was well proportioned and, though slender, had an appearance of quiet strength.
The two had been in conversation for almost an hour about Fudge's ridiculous ideas about werewolf tagging and he had struck her as a very gentle, compassionate man, quietly and pleasantly spoken, deferential and polite and a pleasure to converse with; but not terribly exciting. Surely werewolves should be more…she reached for a word, exciting was the only one that came to mind.
He raised an amused eyebrow at her critical gaze, though it was clear he was embarrassed by the close examination, "Do I pass the inspection?"
If he expected her to blush at his noticing her sizing him up he was to be disappointed. "I must admit you're not what I expected," she said thoughtfully.
"What did you expect?" he asked.
"I don't know, you seem so…forgive me but mild-mannered. I have difficulty seeing you as a werewolf, from what accounts I've had most werewolves say that the wolf is as much a part of them in their everyday lives as it is at the full moon."
"I'd certainly agree with that. I suppose I've just had a long time to learn to control it."
"How long?"
"Thirty years."
Her hand flew to her mouth in a gesture of shock and horror, "Oh but you must have been a child!" She gave a flirtatious smile, "That or you look very good for your age."
"I was a child."
Druscilla was not used to being shocked anymore after nearly twenty-five years at the ministry but something in his clear acceptance of what had happened made a surprising tug on her heartstrings. "That must have been terrifying."
"Yes, well being bitten was but after a while the transformations, painful as they were, began to feel…liberating." He looked slightly guilty at this admission but all Druscilla felt in response was curiosity.
She frowned, wanting a further explanation, "Liberating?"
He shook his head, "It's difficult to explain unless you've been there, I'm afraid."
"I'm sure it is. I think I can imagine a little though, letting out everything, giving in to a more primal part of yourself, I can see how that could be liberating."
He smiled and nodded, "Yes, I think you do grasp it a little."
She looked at her watch and saw it was gone one o'clock and she had a meeting she was already late for. "What would you say to continuing this over lunch?" she asked. What the hell, it was going to be a dull meeting anyway.
Remus gave her a friendly smile, "I'd say that would be very nice."
"Lovely! That's settled then," she grasped her cloak and umbrella, mindful of the fact you could never tell from inside the ministry what the weather was like outside.
As they walked down the corridor he instantly offered to carry the umbrella for her and she allowed him to.
"Weasley!" Percy put his head round his office door at the sound of his boss calling for him. "Cancel my lunch meeting, Remus and I are going out."
"Oh I don't want to put you to any trouble…!" the quiet man spoke up.
"No trouble," she insisted. "It was with Cornelius' new junior assistant and, if that's possible, he's turning out to be worse than the last one!"
Percy blushed and she grinned at him, "I'm kidding, Weasley, for goodness sakes don't be so sensitive!"
Percy gave her an embarrassed nod and retreated into his office. Remus waited until they were alone in the lift to speak again.
"It was a little cruel what you said to Percy just then," he pointed out, quietly.
"It was a joke, Remus." Druscilla did not appreciate being told to coddle her employees.
The man didn't let the matter drop as she expected him to. "Yes, but he is rather sensitive, he's got quite a low self-esteem at times."
Druscilla decided to lay the cards on the table, no point in starting out on a misapprehension. "Look, Remus. I'm not the nicest of people, I don't go out of my way to make my staff comfortable, they get used to it or they get out!"
"What a charming policy."
"Oh, now you're angry with me. In a rather mild mannered kind of a way but still you're angry!"
"No. If I were really angry you wouldn't be calling me mild-mannered. I just feel you could have been more sensitive in there."
"Perhaps I could, but I'm not one of those politicians who goes around kissing up to everyone! I say what I think." Druscilla found herself very much on the defensive.
"There's a difference between not saying what you think and being tactful you know."
"I can be tactful when the occasion calls for it."
Remus gave an amused smile, "Not from what I hear."
The lift came to a stop at the main entrance to the ministry and he stepped out.
She followed directly after him, "Has the kid been telling tales on me?"
"Percy? Well he did mention you threw the Minister's Junior Assistant out of your office last week." He was definitely more amused than annoyed about that one.
"He's a nightmare, Remus! And it really doesn't help that he's got a secretary who can't tell the days of the week yet but looks terribly decorative sat at the desk just outside his office!"
Remus laughed, putting her more at ease.
She smiled a little contritely. "I'm working on the tact thing. I suppose if I want to be Minister I'll have to."
"It would be advisable. So where would you like to go to lunch?"
"Well I'm in robes so I think Diagon Alley would be the best idea, it's amusing watching muggles try not to be too obvious in staring at my robes but if we're going to talk ministry business it would be best if no one was paying too much attention. Call me paranoid but I'm starting to think Cornelius has spies everywhere."
They both grabbed a handful of floo powder and were soon stepping out into the Leaky Cauldron.
"How long have you and the minister known each other?" Remus asked.
"Well he worked in my father's department years and years ago. Why do you ask?"
"Aside from Delores Umbridge and Albus Dumbledore you're the only one I hear call him Cornelius on a regular basis and you and Dumbledore are the only one's I know of who consistently call him that to his face."
"Hell, I've called him worse to his face!"
He smiled, "I'm sure you have."
"I do it to remind him that though I may not be technically his equal I have as much if not more power in this world as he has and that bossing me around will get him no where. I get the feeling that maybe Dumbledore does it for the same reason, to remind the bugger he's not God Almighty as he seems to think he is. Doesn't help when impressionable youths like the Weasley child start treating him like he is either!"
"You act like you don't hold Percy in much regard," Remus commented.
"On the contrary, I hold Percy in very high regard I just think he's got some more irritating qualities which will hopefully pass as he grows older, his tendency towards hero worship in particular."
"That's hardly that bad, he made a mistake and picked the wrong role model, it happens, don't blame him for it."
"You really do like to defend him don't you?"
"He's grown into a responsible and very likeable young man in my opinion."
"I don't disagree. Come on let's not fight, if it makes you feel better of all my employees I think I like him best. Now where do you want to eat?"
"Lady's choice."
"Very gentlemanly of you, how about staying here? Most ministry workers tend to avoid the Cauldron because it's got so much through traffic but the lack of ministry workers can definitely be seen as a good thing."
"Definitely," Remus agreed.
XXXXXXX
Percy found his boss returned from lunch in a much better mood than if she'd had to deal with the minister's junior assistant but that didn't really make up for having Fudge yell at him for doing as he was told and cancelling the meeting. On the whole he was glad at the end of the day to get home. Remus was there, joining them for dinner at Molly's invitation and Percy couldn't resist satisfying his curiosity.
"Remus, how do you know Professor Thornfield?"
The man smiled, "I've been exchanging correspondence with her for a few years now, she's done a great deal of work for werewolf rights."
"Yes, that's certainly a cause that's close to her heart." Percy knew that if there was one thing Thornfield absolutely stuck to her principles on it was the idea of all people, including werewolves, having equal rights.
Remus raised his eyebrows, "Yes. It does seem to be. I've agreed to come and see her in a few days to let her question me further about werewolf life."
"You're not uncomfortable answering those questions?" Molly asked from across the table.
Remus shook his head, "Oh no, not at all. It's just a fact of life as far as I'm concerned."
Percy couldn't help but notice though that Remus hardly ever spoke of his lycanthropy, indeed this was the first time he could remember the man using the term werewolf. However, seeing the slightly uncomfortable look on his mother's face, Percy got the distinct impression that that was more due to other people being more comfortable ignoring that part of his life. Clearly Remus knew that it was much easier for people to forget that once a month this gentle man turned into an aggressive predator. It reminded him of what his boss had often said about people being tolerant of werewolves by ignoring their 'condition' (a word that in itself she detested using but could come up with no other) rather than accepting it as part of them. Perhaps, he thought, meeting Druscilla Thornfield might end up being good for Remus.
XXXXXXX
Ok, we're back at Hogwarts next chapter and people are turning their attention to quidditch.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'd love you to drop me a review and let me know what you thought. Also, what did everyone think of the Half Blood Prince? Personally, I loved it!