RP: Malleus Malificarum
Characters: Percy Weasley,
Location: Streets
Date: July 14 1999
Status: Private
Summary: Percy is walking to lunch and hears the Minister's address.
Completion: Complete
It fell like a weight, the words crackling out over the wireless. Numb and a little panicked in a crowd of strangers, Percy could see the expressions shift almost immediately around him from hopeful to confused, to worried and slightly ashen.
Was Ogden really that dim? Did he realize that to most of the wizarding population, a census probably brought back memories of the coup and those horrible, horrible interviews? His own memories of that time were nothing he had ever wanted to look at in detail, and he'd flown as low under the radar as he dared, keeping his nose out for any slight change in the wind that said it would be safe to try to escape. The sorting hat had not offered Slytherin without reason.
To his side, an elderly woman shuddered so violently she dropped her purse; instinctual politeness forcing Percy to pick it up and hand it back. He must have looked far worse than he felt at the news because the woman offered him a few gentle, absent pats on the hand before withdrawling. A younger lady next to her smiled a little shyly in thanks. For a while no one said anything until an undercurrent spread through the crowd. Whispers of, 'He isn't serious,' 'There'll be open revolt from the creatures...werewolves, half-giants, centaurs...' 'Surely the Wizengamott won't let it happen.' 'They're too scared from Shaklebolt's death to say no.' 'The pure-bloods aren't going to like this either. Does he really want another war?'
Percy was suddenly possessed with the the desire to call in sick with spattergoit and hunt Cho down. After echoing every whispered sentiment of the crowd, Percy's mind had supplied a less likely but still terrifying one. 'There can't be enough full-time Aurors to enforce something like this. What if the corps has to start drawing from the trainees? What if Cho...?'
No. No, there were worse prospects and he knew it. And they were all waiting for him back at the office.
Location: Streets
Date: July 14 1999
Status: Private
Summary: Percy is walking to lunch and hears the Minister's address.
Completion: Complete
It fell like a weight, the words crackling out over the wireless. Numb and a little panicked in a crowd of strangers, Percy could see the expressions shift almost immediately around him from hopeful to confused, to worried and slightly ashen.
Was Ogden really that dim? Did he realize that to most of the wizarding population, a census probably brought back memories of the coup and those horrible, horrible interviews? His own memories of that time were nothing he had ever wanted to look at in detail, and he'd flown as low under the radar as he dared, keeping his nose out for any slight change in the wind that said it would be safe to try to escape. The sorting hat had not offered Slytherin without reason.
To his side, an elderly woman shuddered so violently she dropped her purse; instinctual politeness forcing Percy to pick it up and hand it back. He must have looked far worse than he felt at the news because the woman offered him a few gentle, absent pats on the hand before withdrawling. A younger lady next to her smiled a little shyly in thanks. For a while no one said anything until an undercurrent spread through the crowd. Whispers of, 'He isn't serious,' 'There'll be open revolt from the creatures...werewolves, half-giants, centaurs...' 'Surely the Wizengamott won't let it happen.' 'They're too scared from Shaklebolt's death to say no.' 'The pure-bloods aren't going to like this either. Does he really want another war?'
Percy was suddenly possessed with the the desire to call in sick with spattergoit and hunt Cho down. After echoing every whispered sentiment of the crowd, Percy's mind had supplied a less likely but still terrifying one. 'There can't be enough full-time Aurors to enforce something like this. What if the corps has to start drawing from the trainees? What if Cho...?'
No. No, there were worse prospects and he knew it. And they were all waiting for him back at the office.