Well, here it is. Your introduction to Mr Lucas Weatherley. I'm rather fond of him myself, if I do say so. This story is finished (yay), so keep the reviews coming and I'll keep updating. I'll keep updating anyway but your reviews encourage me to write new stories (or finish old abandoned ones) that are marvelous and designed especially for your reading pleasure, so keep them coming. Hope you like this.

Istalindar.

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Lucas Weatherley was what some might call a failed politician. He wasn't hugely ambitious, because he lacked the stomach for the kinds of acts that seemed to be the only way to get past the others on the political ladder, who also were being less than honest. He got as far as he was likely to while being honest, and then stayed there. He had no family to support, and he lived pretty modestly. He wasn't particularly interested in the social whirl, and attended only what he had to.

He was uninspiring, unimpressive and unknown. But he was happy.

And extrememly shocked when Constantine DeVere, of all people, appeared on his schedule one Monday, and walked into his office promptly at 10am. He stared for a moment at her awe-inspiring appearance…she was beautiful, after all, and had plenty of attitude to accompany her looks, and then managed the strangled question.

"What can I do for you, Miss DeVere?" She smiled brilliantly, and Lucas' knees went weak. Thank God he was sitting down. On second thoughts, he probably should have stood when she walked in. He stood hastily, and she laughed, waving a hand so he sat back down before sitting down herself across the desk from him.

"Don't stand, Mr Weatherley." She said. "I'm hardly the Minister." Lucas settled back and swallowed, waiting for her to continue. "I have a proposition for you, actually."

"Really?" Lucas was immediately wary…he'd heard that before and it usually led to embezzlement charges or something equally immoral. Constantine smiled, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Really. However, it isn't something I wish to discuss here…and believe me, it isn't what you think."

"I doubt it." Lucas said, some of his backbone returning as he got over the shock of having society's premiere socialite in his office. "I have heard that phrase before, Miss DeVere."

"I believe it." Constantine said, leaning back into the chair and crossing her legs. "However, my interest is more in your principles than money or power. I doubt you've heard that before." Lucas raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Do you even know what they are?" Constantine's eyes flashed with annoyance and it suddenly occurred to Lucas that she might be a little less air-headed than the socialite stereotype.

"I do actually." Her voice was calm, and betrayed none of the annoyance he'd just seen in her eyes. "Magic-muggle equality, and an end to the predjudice between them. You're a liberal, and aren't a follower of the pureblood supremacy movement, despite the fact you are one. Your views are along the same sort of lines as mine, actually, which is what piqued my interest."

"You're interested in equality?" Lucas was skeptical. "No offense, Miss DeVere, but you hardly seem the type." Constantine smiled, and there was an edge to the smile that again set his alarms ringing.

"Perhaps not. However, we can talk more about that later. I'm actually here to extend an invitation to dinner at the Malfoy Manor. I'd like you to go, it will give us an opportunity to talk at more length, privately."

"Miss DeVere, I'm sorry, but whatever your proposition, I'm not interested." Lucas said finally. There were too many holes in her argument: she believed in Magic-muggle supremacy but wanted him to go to dinner with the Malfoys, possibly the family least interested in equality. Hell, she said she believed in it, and look at her.

"All right." Constantine rose, and this time Lucas stood with her. "I just have one last thing to add, Mr Weatherley. Are you aware of how many students attended Hogwarts this September?"

"The average is around seventy." Lucas answered. "Give or take, as parents also have the option of sending their children to Magical schools abroad."

"Twenty attended this September, Mr Weatherley." Constantine said. "Out of sixty four." She smiled. "Good day." And she was gone.

She was good, Lucas thought wryly, sitting back down. She'd played and manipulated their entire meeting very well. And the parting comment was perfect: enough to intrigue him, not enough that he could think about it without having to investigate further. He sighed, and started pulling out files.

He might find himself at dinner with the Malfoys after all.

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"So is he coming?" Ginny was sitting on Constantine's bed, watching the older woman get ready for dinner at the Manor.

"I think so." Constantine said. "If only to find out what I know about Hogwarts attendance."

"It was dangerous, saying that." Ginny observed. "What if someone had heard?"

"I warded the room before I went in." Constantine said, turning to face Ginny. "No one heard."

"So what do you think? Is it doable?" Constantine nodded, pulling on a pair of heeled ankleboots.

"Yes. He's not bad looking and once he got over the shock of me being in his office, he grew a backbone and turned me down."

"That's not good." Ginny mused.

"A potential problem in that he won't be a puppet, and he won't do as he's told without a good reason, but then, we have a good reason." Constantine said. "And it'll make it easier for him to deal with anything that happens when we're not there to help him. There's going to be a point when Harry seeks him out, especially once we really get the ball rolling. Lucas is going to have to be able to stand up to that."

"That's a good point." Ginny hesitated. "The Yule Ball is coming up." Constantine nodded, her eyes flicking to Ginny and then away again.

The Yule Ball was Ministry hosted, and was one of the biggest events of the year. It was the best way to bring Lucas into society, because it was a few weeks away so he could learn what he needed to before hand, plus they could work out a suitable escort for him. It would also show people like the Parkinsons and the Zabinis that Constantine and Amadeo and Daniel were serious about bringing in another politician to replace Harry, which would sediment their support. After the Yule Ball there would be no turning back.

It was also an event Harry would be attending, hence Ginny's nervousness. So far she had managed to avoid him…as a rule he didn't attend private parties unless it was for a cause he wanted to help. That meant that they hadn't met since Ginny had returned to England from Africa with Constantine. And no matter what Ginny said, Constantine knew that Harry's behaviour immediately prior to Ginny's arrival in Africa had seriously shaken her up.

"Amadeo will escort you." Constantine said, standing and pulling on her coat. "Harry won't try anything when you're with a Malfoy."

"Convenient, huh?" Ginny asked drily, rising also and picking up her bag. She'd been ready for nearly twenty minutes before Constantine. Constantine shrugged.

"Convenient. But it also helps that you two are fond of each other." She walked out of the bedroom, Ginny on her heels.

"We are not!" She argued. "He's a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake. And that pretty much says it all."

"Hermione fell for a Malfoy, and fell hard, too." Constantine commented. "They aren't monsters, Ginny. They're extrememly wealthy, stuck up, arrogant men. And they're also extremely protective. If Harry tried something with you, Amadeo would be there in a second." She smiled at Ginny. "If seeing him as an escort is still a stretch for you, see him as a bodyguard. There isn't anyone safer for you right now than Amadeo Malfoy."

"That is a terrifying thought." Ginny commented darkly. Constantine laughed, and the sound was abruptly cut short as the two women apparated away.

They appeared in the foyer of the Manor, and were greeted by Daniel.

"Is he coming?" Daniel asked. Constantine shrugged.

"Should be. I can't imagine him not, in all fairness. Dinner doesn't seal his soul into this."

"It should." He commented. "If he doesn't agree, he could tell anyone."

"He won't." Constantine replied easily. "Where's Amadeo?"

"Study, why?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"I want to have sex with him and bear his children." Constantine rolled her eyes. "I want to talk to him, Daniel. Now stop being such a green-eyed monster." She brushed past him and headed for the study.

"What was that about?" Daniel asked Ginny. It was her turn to roll her eyes.

"Every time she mentions another man's name you turn into a jealous pig, Daniel. You don't own her, and I don't think you'd like to try. Relax." Daniel frowned.

"I am not." He argued.

"Yes you are." Ginny replied easily. "She mentioned Amadeo just now and you got suspicious. When we were talking about Lucas you made that comment about cradle-snatching. And I know you've been bitching about Tom behind her back. She isn't involved with anyone, Daniel, and it's about time that you dropped the jealousy thing long enough to see that, before you piss her off again."

"What's she going to do, leave again?" Draco asked bitterly.

"Quite possibly." Ginny retorted. "Africa isn't her only Project you know. She's got them in Asia and India as well."

"India is part of Asia, actually." Daniel said snidely. Ginny smiled tightly.

"Well done. She's got a job to do, Daniel. And you know her, she isn't going to stop for anything until it's done, despite the casualties. Don't make yourself one of them." Ginny headed for the study as well, leaving Daniel alone to swallow his pride and follow her.

"I want you two on your best behaviour." Constantine lectured to Daniel and Amadeo. They shared a glance. "I'm being serious. I know you can be charming when you want to be, and I want you to be so charming in fact that Lucas doubts everything he's ever heard about the Malfoys. So your grandfather killed his…you two would never even conceive of doing such a thing. As for being supremist, his sources must have the wrong Malfoys. That's what I want going through his head."

"We're good." Amadeo said. "But I don't think even God is that good." Constantine smiled.

"Try." She said. "It's important that he feels comfortable. From what I saw the other day, he's perfect for this. Don't frighten him off."

"Master? Mr Weatherley is here." Amadeo nodded.

"Show him in."

Lucas was nervous. He wasn't sure if his clothes were right or if he wouldn't make some huge faux pas that would have Constantine and her friends sniggering at him behind their manicured hands. Still, he'd found her information accurate regarding Hogwarts and he was interested. Forty-four students wasn't a slip in the system, it was a giant error. He wanted to know what she knew and what she was planning on doing about it.

"Lucas." Constantine smiled and rose when he walked into the room. "I'm glad you came." Lucas nodded and introduced himself to the cool-looking man who was blatantly the only Malfoy.

"Lucas Weatherley." He smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Amadeo." Amadeo smiled. "And of course. Though I must say it was Constantine's idea…we are all slaves to her will." He smiled and Lucas found himself smiling back.

Perhaps this wouldn't be the nightmare he was envisaging.

"This is Daniel Masters." Amadeo continued. Daniel stood and they shook hands and smiled and exchanged pleasantries…Daniel didn't quite have the same charm as Amadeo. "And Ginny Weasley." Lucas was surprised to see her here, last he heard she was the Minister's fiancee and had gone on a goodwill trip before the weddings, he hadn't known she was back.

"We've met." Ginny smiled. "It's good to see you again, Lucas."

"I wasn't aware you were back." Lucas said. Her eyebrows rose.

"From where?"

"Your goodwill trip, before the wedding." Lucas clarified. Ginny nodded with a smile.

"Oh, sorry." She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I've been back a few days now." She lied. There was a quiet pause.

"Master? Dinner is ready." A house elf appeared in the doorway.

"Thank you." Amadeo said. "Shall we?" Everyone nodded, and Constantine smiled at Lucas as they filed into the dining room.

"You're doing fine." She murmured. He shot her a look and she smiled, but said nothing more.

Dinner passed quietly, full of small talk about what was going on politically and otherwise. It gave all four a chance to evaluate each other: three could see Lucas' views and how he reacted to certain probes, and Lucas could form mental profiles of each aristocrat in his mind. It wasn't what he had imagined, that was for sure. Amadeo Malfoy, who had a reputation of being socially recluse (though that ended when Draco disappeared), was far from the icy, disdainful man he was rumoured to be. He was charming and funny and interesting, and clearly was fond of Ginny. The redhead had lied about her goodwill trip, Lucas had guessed instantly. Or the Minister had. She wasn't wearing an engagement ring, and her eyes slipped occasionally to Amadeo when she thought no one was looking. She expressed political views (a no-no for the Minister's wife; the tradition was that such women were neutral, allowing them to follow their husband's views easier), and she was eating dinner with Malfoys, a dead giveaway. Then there was Daniel, who clearly was irritated about something, though he kept it well hidden. He obviously hadn't gotten over his attachment to Constantine since they split, there was a edge to some of his comments that earned him a cool stare from her. He actually reminded Lucas a little of what he had heard about Malfoys…he definitely had an aristocratic attitude, tempered somewhat, but there all the same. Constantine herself was beautiful, lovely and charming. She kept the conversation going and continually included Lucas subtley so he wasn't abandoned, and he used her to judge whether his comments were appropriate or not. He was so busy concentrating on getting this right and working out what 'this' was in the first place that he had little appetite, but eventually dinner was over and they all retired to the study, and Lucas had a sinking feeling that the bigger hurdles were yet to come.

He was surprised though. The formality that had tinged dinner seemed to disappate entirely in the study, and everything suddenly became much more relaxed. It was only then that he worked up the courage to ask why he was actually there. All conversations stopped, and Lucas had a horrible feeling that he had just messed up in a big way. But Amadeo smiled, and Lucas relaxed a little.

"Actually, we wanted to talk to you. Somewhere where we knew we wouldn't be overheard." Lucas' alarm bells started ringing. Things that shouldn't be overheard usually shouldn't be done, as far as he knew.

"Oh?" He asked as neutrally as possible. Constantine smiled.

"I assume you looked up the Hogwarts attendance numbers?" She asked, coming to sit beside him on the sofa. He nodded.

"It's worrying."

"It is." Ginny moved to sit on the armchair across from them, and Daniel and Amadeo took the last two chairs. "It reminds me of my fourth year: a lot of students didn't come back that year."

"The year Voldemort returned." Lucas guessed. She nodded. "But Voldemort's dead. There isn't a threat."

"Isn't there?" Daniel asked quietly. He was relaxed in the chair, legs stretched out in front of him. He had a sharp look in his eyes that reminded Lucas of a hawk: keen, focused and very aware.

"You think there is a threat?" Lucas asked. "What?"

"Harry." Ginny said. Lucas jerked around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.

"What?"

"The children who didn't attend belong to families that have a high profile rating to Harry." Ginny explained. "A few managed to go to schools abroad, Beauxbatons, the American Academy, places like that. Others are being privately tutored."

"That's against the law, though." Lucas said. "All eleven year olds, pending situations which deny them access, must attend a magical educational establishment. They have to."

"We kind of think that's the point." Constantine said gently. "A lot of the families are ones that Harry suspects…of treason, cheating, embezzlement, supporting the Dark Arts, even of being deatheaters."

"You think the Minister's denying their children access to Hogwarts in order to force them to commit an illegal act?" Lucas asked, skeptical. "He wouldn't."

"I think he has, Lucas." Ginny said softly. "He's…he's not the man who came to power."

"Are they ever?" Lucas asked insightfully. "Say that is what's happening. What are you planning on doing about it? And…why do you care?" Constantine smiled, pleased. He was asking all the right questions.

"We care because…" Amadeo paused. "Constantine cares." He finally answered simply. "She has that way. It's Ginny's old school, and I find it worrying that there are forty-four untrained brats running around with wands and no training. Daniel doesn't care."

"That's not true!" Daniel exclaimed. Lucas looked at him and he sighed. "I care mostly because Constantine cares and because Amadeo has a point. Plus…anyone planning on causing real trouble can take these kids and turn them into killers without any thought to training them properly."

"So why do you care?" Lucas addressed Constantine. She bit her lip thoughtfully.

"I'm trying…I'm trying to make the world a better place." She said, and somehow, the cliché didn't sound too cheesy. "I have a lot of power, a fair amount of money, and more publicity than I could want. Plus I have the inclination."

"I know about your Projects." Lucas said, nodding. "You've done a lot of good work."

"Unfortunately, it seems I've done too well. My people in Africa are now so well trained I only get in the way. I have a similar problem in Asia, although the houses in some of the smaller countries are always needing an extra hand. So I thought I'd start something here…only it seems to have spiralled…I wasn't expecting there to be forty-four unaccounted for children that usually wouldn't end up with me. I tend to take the homeless ones, the ones in trouble with drugs or alcohol, not those willing but unable thanks to the Ministry. If I want to solve one problem I need to solve the other. Hence my interest."

It was a convincing argument. Lucas had heard much worse arguments hold up at the Ministry. But they hadn't completely answered his question yet. He opened his mouth to ask and Daniel cut him off.

"We want your help." He said. Lucas stared, and Daniel took a deep breath and exhaled. "We feel," he began, "Like perhaps the Minister is getting out of control. He seems indecisive, some of his decisions aren't that good anyway, and this business with the children is just plain wrong. If he wants a reason to imprison their parents he can damn well get his hands dirty and investigate instead of manipulating them into prison and their children out of an education." Lucas was surprised by Daniel's outburst, and his respect for him grew. He was easier to read than Amadeo, and seemed more likely to speak the truth without sugarcoating it.

"So you want me to what? I'm a nobody at the Ministry, you must know that." Lucas pointed out.

"This is where our fair ladies come in." Amadeo said with a smile. "With their help, we can give you the kind of social foundations you need to climb the ladder without having backstab anyone."

"What do you get out of it?" Lucas asked suspiciously. This didn't sit right.

"Potter's departure." Daniel said. He paused, looking at the younger man. Lucas clearly wasn't buying it, and Daniel decided to go all in. Constantine would kill him for it later, he was sure. "Think of it this way," he began. "We want him gone. Constantine because she can't stand to see someone with that much power not helping kittens out of trees, me because I don't like him, Amadeo for much the same reason and Ginny because he cheated on her, he lied to her, and then he nearly killed her. We want him gone and we're using you as a pawn."

"Daniel." Constantine ground out. He ignored her.

"Lucas, we need you. In return you're going to get the social status you'd never have otherwise, without having to lose your precious morals. We get him gone, everyone's happy."

"Who'd replace him?" Lucas asked. They looked at him. "Oh no." He shook his head. "Not me."

"Why not?" Constantine asked, annoyed Daniel had dropped it on Lucas' head like that. "I've read your work, you're talented. You've got strong morals, and you don't strike me as the corruptible type. And you don't rule by yourself, you know. You have a council to help. Harry rules autonomously out of choice, not necessity."

"I can't do it." Lucas shook his head.

"You've never tried." She returned. That silenced him, he didn't have an answer for that.

"I'll think about it." He conceded. "But…was there something else? You've said this is about Hogwarts, but it's not. What else is it about?" They exchanged glances, unsure of whether to tell him. "I want the truth." He warned them. "I'm not going to get into this coup with my hands behind my back. I want to know what's going on."

"It's my other crusade." Constantine answered finally. "You know about the Granger case?" Lucas nodded, who didn't? "Well, I don't believe she committed treason. She wasn't the type, and Harry was her best friend."

"How do you know?"

"I met her, a couple times, before. And Ginny knew her personally." Ginny nodded. "I…here." She passed a plain manilla folder across to Lucas and he looked at it. "It's a file on her. Harry's file."

"You stole it?" He asked, aghast.

"I replicated it." She answered. "Just read it." They sat in silence as Lucas quickly skimmed over it. It did seem unlikely…Hermione Granger, first in every class she ever took, hero of the Dark Wars, saviour of the people. Known for selflessness when trying to save others, and there were more than a few academic distinctions as well. From the sound of it, Granger was smart, talented, and possibly the farthest thing from her mind would be treason. And then he saw the tape.

"What's this?" He held it up.

"It's a recording of a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries. The transcript is behind it." Lucas nodded and skimmed the transcript, unsure as to whether to believe what he was reading or not. If this was true, then it seemed that the Minister was somewhat less rational than he would have people believe. The only evidence of treason here was a prophecy, which means he wanted her arrested for something that likely as not hadn't happened yet. He turned the page and found the assassination order.

"He wanted her assassinated?" Lucas exclaimed. "Bit much, isn't it?"

"Like we said, we're not so sure he's…it's not right." Ginny finished lamely, unable to think of the right word.

"So she's dead?"

"She's missing." Constantine corrected. "As is Draco Malfoy."

"I thought that was a different case." Lucas said, confused. Amadeo shook his head.

"Draco is charged with aiding a traitor. He hid her, for a while, until he was found out. When the Ministry searched all his properties for her they found she was gone too."

"So they're together." Lucas concluded. Constantine shrugged.

"Nobody knows. But…it's something I'd like rectified."

"Granger's talented. If anyone can fix this crazy mess, she can." Daniel commented.

"You knew her?" Lucas asked, glancing up.

"Before. We worked together briefly."

"You keep saying 'before'." Lucas said, closing the file and looking at them. "Are you saying that because it's true or because to not say it would to imply yourselves for treason?"

"We knew her before she was accused." Ginny said. "And we haven't seen her since." Lucas nodded, settling for her answer because he knew he wouldn't get anything else out of them.

"So that's why you want me…because you want to send the missing kids to Hogwarts and get a pardon for Granger and Malfoy." He nodded. "Which ends in me being Minister…how?"

"We need someone." Amadeo said. "We can't try to depose Potter alone, because there'd be no support for a private bid for power."

"And you're saying there's support?"

"You know as well as we do that there are plenty of rich, influential people who will support anyone who will support them." Amadeo replied. "Yes, there is. For you, if you choose to take it. But it is, of course, your choice. It's not something to sign up for without thought."

"No." Lucas agreed.

"Go home, think about it." Amadeo continued. "If you decide that you want to do this, want to help us, then come back. If you decide not to, then we won't try to involve you again, though we will ask that you don't speak about this." Lucas nodded, that all made sense.

"You know," he said thoughtfully. "You're nothing like what I expected."

Daniel snorted.

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