Man in Charge
Josh stepped off the lift, wanting nothing more than to not go into the meeting. It was ridiculous since one day he'd be the Minister all this silly talk of cohabitation would be for naught. Shaking his head, he glanced at his watch. He was early, like always, like he had planned. He wanted a lay of the land before he actually engaged in the useless meeting and even more than that he wanted to see if he could get a word in with the Minister of Magic before the meeting actually began. Anything to show his loyalty and ambition even if it was to someone who wouldn't matter in the end.
Percy strode into the meeting room early, prepared to chase out anyone who wasn't supposed to be there. He had had the unfortunate experience of finding two department heads involved in a rather heavy snogging session in the meeting room once, and had since then made it a priority to ensure the Minister would not see such things. There was also the added factor that he wanted to give the report to the Minister without Josh Vaisey there, if he could. It would be much easier to convince the man of the merits if he wasn't worried about another person shooting down everything he said. Perhaps he was merely paranoid, he mused; after all, Vaisey was a hard-working man, who seemed to want nothing more than a chance to be Minister.
He mentally cursed, however, when he saw the man in question already sitting in the room. Tucking the report on Wizarding Views of Muggles under his arm, he cleared his throat. "Good afternoon, Mr. Vaisey."
Josh looked up at the man who had spoken. "Hello, Mr. Weasley. How do you do?" he asked politely, showing no outward reaction to the other man's early arrival.
"Well, thank you. How is your son? I was sorry to hear about your ex-wife." Percy sat down. "I hope your holidays went well." He gave no signs of his suspicions, having pushed them down upon entering the room. Recalling Harry's words about suggesting that Draco might be interested in the Dark Arts, Percy decided to bring it up if he could.
"My holidays were good, thank you. My son is well. Thank you for your kind words of Eva's death. It was quite a sad surprise just before the holidays," he said keeping his voice even and casual.
The man seemed blunt and standoffish, but Percy pushed that thought down as well. He could not afford to let his opinions show through. Opinions were nothing with no cold, hard facts to back them up.
"I can only imagine. There are far too many deaths occurring these days. Muggle and Wizard alike. Have you heard anything on possible leaders for the Hunters? I know you'd told the Minister you would look into that while I looked into general stats on Wizarding views of Muggles." Percy leaned in conspiratorially. "There are whispers that some of the old Death Eater crowd are itching to get involved."
"They are more than whispers, Mr. Weasley. They are actually quite well-founded." He paused. "I have many suspicions and ideas of who the leader of the Hunters are, but no actual proof on who. I would rather not say a word until there is proof to back up my allegations."
"Indeed. That seems to be the case for both of us. I am thinking of looking into Draco Malfoy, however. His name has been whispered in the past, as someone who would be able to hide his true face from the world." Percy sighed. "What do you think? Is it worth putting the time and effort into? You were the one who was going to look into that aspect, after all. I'm merely supposed to be doing research into what people of both Muggle and Wizarding descent are thinking."
Percy nodded to the papers he held in his hand, certain that he was playing this well. The fact that Josh had so easily dismissed offers to collaborate could be viewed as suspicious. After all, he was a Weasley. There was absolutely no doubt where he stood on this matter. People had often assumed him to be a stickler for detail, but one with a nearly idealistic idea of politics. He knew what his critics said, that he was too naive to make it politically. But he merely held his cards close to his chest. Everyone thought they knew what they said, but it was only an illusion. Percy was no one's fool, after all. "This is the report here. The numbers speak for themselves. The people want to try for peace first, which means the Minister needs to make a statement to the Muggle papers."
"He does. It's a long time coming." Josh paused. "As for Malfoy, he is a suspect but there is no concrete evidence of his involvement."
He glanced down at the paperwork in front of him. "There are actually many suspects with high risk of being the Hunter's leader. But the Minister really does need to make a press statement since it's a been over a month."
"To our press as well," Percy noted, "We need to accept the responsibility of our past. We need to acknowledge that one of our own has viciously murdered in the past, planning nothing less than genocide. And we need to work with them to stop that from happening again." He sighed, watching the man intently from the corner of his eyes so that the memory would be easily preserved in a Pensieve. "I imagine the person who is in charge is very good at hiding their true nature from the world. But he or she will slip up eventually. Everyone always does; good or bad, right or wrong."
"Everyone does slip up, and I will be there to expose the person for what really are," Josh said, his tone purposely lethal and threatening. He was about ready to give anyone, including Percy Weasley, a reason to be suspicious of him. He always covered his tracks well even if the other Hunters were sometimes less cautious. Josh considered trying to set one of his own Hunters up as the fall guy, but dismissed the idea as soon as it crossed his mind. If he did, the pressure might make the suspect crack and reveal he is actually the Hunters' leader and founder and there'd be no way for Josh to actually clear his name.
"You needn't do that alone, Mr. Vaisey," Percy said, not without a small hint of steel behind his words. "You have others who wish for the same." He eyed the man carefully, planning on having everything looked into that he possibly could. This conversation had made him even more uneasy than he'd already been. He was about to say something more, when the Minister walked in.
"Ah," the Minister said, smiling. "Good, you're both here. Tell me what you've got. Mr. Vaisey?"
Josh sat up straighter, looking at the Minster with a look of respect and admiration. He lifted the paperwork, extending it to the Minister. "I have many suspects. More than I'd like. A few that are more likely than the others, of course. I'd like more concrete evidence before I make any allegations. If you can grant me more time that is." He bowed his head in a a respectful show of submissiveness.
Percy kept himself from rolling his eyes. He could not afford to play out his own suspicions; if the man was innocent, it would only make him more of a candidate for Minister, while Percy would be in disgrace.
"Of course, Mr. Vaisey," The Minister agreed. "Take as long as you need. We need to do this right, after all." The man turned to Percy. "What about you, Mr. Weasley?"
"The Muggles are starting to revolt against their government and our Ministry, creating an aura of vigilante justice. They are terrified, and, it is my opinion, as well as the opinion of your voters, that you need to make a statement to the Muggles, and perhaps work with them on catching these Hunters. We need to accept our role in the past. Have some show of goodwill. Like helping repair damage, and the like. The Statute of Secrecy has been compromised beyond repair. It is the opinion of the public that we must start to work within Muggle society as well, to start to make amends for the horrors they've seen but had hidden."
Josh listened carefully. Percy was a well-spoken gentleman. It was clear he had the Minister's respect, too, and Josh knew that could be problematic in the future.
"A statement." The Minister nodded his agreement. "I'll have one scheduled immediately. We are looking for the Hunters, we don't want any innocent deaths after all, and expressing that would be a good idea. To the Muggles as well as the wizard populace."
Percy strode into the meeting room early, prepared to chase out anyone who wasn't supposed to be there. He had had the unfortunate experience of finding two department heads involved in a rather heavy snogging session in the meeting room once, and had since then made it a priority to ensure the Minister would not see such things. There was also the added factor that he wanted to give the report to the Minister without Josh Vaisey there, if he could. It would be much easier to convince the man of the merits if he wasn't worried about another person shooting down everything he said. Perhaps he was merely paranoid, he mused; after all, Vaisey was a hard-working man, who seemed to want nothing more than a chance to be Minister.
He mentally cursed, however, when he saw the man in question already sitting in the room. Tucking the report on Wizarding Views of Muggles under his arm, he cleared his throat. "Good afternoon, Mr. Vaisey."
Josh looked up at the man who had spoken. "Hello, Mr. Weasley. How do you do?" he asked politely, showing no outward reaction to the other man's early arrival.
"Well, thank you. How is your son? I was sorry to hear about your ex-wife." Percy sat down. "I hope your holidays went well." He gave no signs of his suspicions, having pushed them down upon entering the room. Recalling Harry's words about suggesting that Draco might be interested in the Dark Arts, Percy decided to bring it up if he could.
"My holidays were good, thank you. My son is well. Thank you for your kind words of Eva's death. It was quite a sad surprise just before the holidays," he said keeping his voice even and casual.
The man seemed blunt and standoffish, but Percy pushed that thought down as well. He could not afford to let his opinions show through. Opinions were nothing with no cold, hard facts to back them up.
"I can only imagine. There are far too many deaths occurring these days. Muggle and Wizard alike. Have you heard anything on possible leaders for the Hunters? I know you'd told the Minister you would look into that while I looked into general stats on Wizarding views of Muggles." Percy leaned in conspiratorially. "There are whispers that some of the old Death Eater crowd are itching to get involved."
"They are more than whispers, Mr. Weasley. They are actually quite well-founded." He paused. "I have many suspicions and ideas of who the leader of the Hunters are, but no actual proof on who. I would rather not say a word until there is proof to back up my allegations."
"Indeed. That seems to be the case for both of us. I am thinking of looking into Draco Malfoy, however. His name has been whispered in the past, as someone who would be able to hide his true face from the world." Percy sighed. "What do you think? Is it worth putting the time and effort into? You were the one who was going to look into that aspect, after all. I'm merely supposed to be doing research into what people of both Muggle and Wizarding descent are thinking."
Percy nodded to the papers he held in his hand, certain that he was playing this well. The fact that Josh had so easily dismissed offers to collaborate could be viewed as suspicious. After all, he was a Weasley. There was absolutely no doubt where he stood on this matter. People had often assumed him to be a stickler for detail, but one with a nearly idealistic idea of politics. He knew what his critics said, that he was too naive to make it politically. But he merely held his cards close to his chest. Everyone thought they knew what they said, but it was only an illusion. Percy was no one's fool, after all. "This is the report here. The numbers speak for themselves. The people want to try for peace first, which means the Minister needs to make a statement to the Muggle papers."
"He does. It's a long time coming." Josh paused. "As for Malfoy, he is a suspect but there is no concrete evidence of his involvement."
He glanced down at the paperwork in front of him. "There are actually many suspects with high risk of being the Hunter's leader. But the Minister really does need to make a press statement since it's a been over a month."
"To our press as well," Percy noted, "We need to accept the responsibility of our past. We need to acknowledge that one of our own has viciously murdered in the past, planning nothing less than genocide. And we need to work with them to stop that from happening again." He sighed, watching the man intently from the corner of his eyes so that the memory would be easily preserved in a Pensieve. "I imagine the person who is in charge is very good at hiding their true nature from the world. But he or she will slip up eventually. Everyone always does; good or bad, right or wrong."
"Everyone does slip up, and I will be there to expose the person for what really are," Josh said, his tone purposely lethal and threatening. He was about ready to give anyone, including Percy Weasley, a reason to be suspicious of him. He always covered his tracks well even if the other Hunters were sometimes less cautious. Josh considered trying to set one of his own Hunters up as the fall guy, but dismissed the idea as soon as it crossed his mind. If he did, the pressure might make the suspect crack and reveal he is actually the Hunters' leader and founder and there'd be no way for Josh to actually clear his name.
"You needn't do that alone, Mr. Vaisey," Percy said, not without a small hint of steel behind his words. "You have others who wish for the same." He eyed the man carefully, planning on having everything looked into that he possibly could. This conversation had made him even more uneasy than he'd already been. He was about to say something more, when the Minister walked in.
"Ah," the Minister said, smiling. "Good, you're both here. Tell me what you've got. Mr. Vaisey?"
Josh sat up straighter, looking at the Minster with a look of respect and admiration. He lifted the paperwork, extending it to the Minister. "I have many suspects. More than I'd like. A few that are more likely than the others, of course. I'd like more concrete evidence before I make any allegations. If you can grant me more time that is." He bowed his head in a a respectful show of submissiveness.
Percy kept himself from rolling his eyes. He could not afford to play out his own suspicions; if the man was innocent, it would only make him more of a candidate for Minister, while Percy would be in disgrace.
"Of course, Mr. Vaisey," The Minister agreed. "Take as long as you need. We need to do this right, after all." The man turned to Percy. "What about you, Mr. Weasley?"
"The Muggles are starting to revolt against their government and our Ministry, creating an aura of vigilante justice. They are terrified, and, it is my opinion, as well as the opinion of your voters, that you need to make a statement to the Muggles, and perhaps work with them on catching these Hunters. We need to accept our role in the past. Have some show of goodwill. Like helping repair damage, and the like. The Statute of Secrecy has been compromised beyond repair. It is the opinion of the public that we must start to work within Muggle society as well, to start to make amends for the horrors they've seen but had hidden."
Josh listened carefully. Percy was a well-spoken gentleman. It was clear he had the Minister's respect, too, and Josh knew that could be problematic in the future.
"A statement." The Minister nodded his agreement. "I'll have one scheduled immediately. We are looking for the Hunters, we don't want any innocent deaths after all, and expressing that would be a good idea. To the Muggles as well as the wizard populace."