Meles Malfoy

Chapter 7 Political Maneuvers

Draco was as good as his word and set about thinking how he was going to phrase the letter to his father. As he got halfway through the first draft, he realised a number of things. "One: this letter is going to be vital to the success of the project. Two: my best chance is to stress Finch-Fletchley's background. Three: I know practically nothing about Muggles, which makes one and two even more difficult." So before any progress could be made, Draco would need to hold his nose and learn about Muggle society. Luckily, Justin was more than happy to answer all of his questions.

Justin's life so far had consisted of him living at home under the care of his parents and a number of retained human staff before he had been sent to his first boarding school at the age of seven. "Explains why he seems comfortable away from home. Most of the Ravenclaws look like they still wet the bed at night," said Draco to himself.

His family was made up of his parents and three older sisters, two of whom were at a Muggle boarding school, whilst another was pursuing further studies at a university. "Muggle schools can't be up to much if pupils require further formal study afterwards." Outside term-time, the Finch-Fletchleys lived on a large farm in Hampshire, surprisingly this was less than forty miles from Malfoy Manor. His mother oversaw the running of the estate as well as a number of charities, while his father was a senior adviser to the Muggle Prime Minister.

Draco thought that that was simple enough, but when Justin began to explain about Muggle politics, Draco could not understand why there needed to be a vote for some members of parliament when there was already a parliament of Muggles of aristocratic birth. There were many other things that he could not get his head around. Like the Queen being the head of state but not head of government, and also formally head of the army and the church, but for the prime minister to have actual control over the army and the appointment of bishops. Justin too realised this. "When you put it like that it does seem a bit strange, but it works somehow," he said, with an apologetic shrug.

"A lot of things must have gone seriously wrong over a very long period of time for the Muggle system to become so messed up!" replied Draco. "The Civil Service operates outside of the Muggle Government and your father must surely have realised that no matter how long or hard he works, he can never become Prime Minister?" asked Draco, dumbfounded.

"Well, Prime Minister is a political role, and you need to be voted in. You only normally get one go at it and then your party gets voted out. Most of the real, important decisions are made by the civil service anyway, it's Father's job to present the facts to the PM and then he makes the final decision..."

"And your Father gets to decide which facts to show him!" finished Draco, who was beginning to catch on to what Muggle politics were really about.

Throughout their conversations, Draco was occasionally annoyed when Justin slipped in a description of some Muggle device that they used because they didn't have magic. "Muggle leisure, communication and travel are all vastly inferior and I have no interest in them," he told Justin, who had tried to explain about facsimile machines.

On Sunday evening, Draco had gathered enough information on Justin to complete the proposal to his father. He explained that Justin was the only Muggleborn Hufflepuff in the year (carefully pointing out that Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were both teeming with them). He added that unlike most of his kind, Justin came from a rich, well connected family in the upper echelons of Muggle society. He then gently introduced his plan, explaining that it would as one sided as possible, with as him learning as little as possible about Muggles and only providing Justin with the occasional 'word in his ear'. He also stated that he would be quite prepared to drop the scheme at a moment's notice if his parents asked.

Malfoy Manor

Wiltshire

September 7^th 1992

Draco,

I must say that I am in awe. You have taken my instructions and totally twisted them around to begin an enterprise that goes against everything I said. Such behavior is very encouraging to see.

I have to say that your 'project', as you call it, seems to have some merit. However, you will need to exercise a certain amount of discretion on a number of matters surrounding various items that are stored in the manor.

You will also need to be careful to manage how your relationship to this boy is viewed from outside. It would do the family name no good at all for the heir to be seen to publicly associate with this person.

I will need you to regularly update me on your progress. Acquaintances such as this boy can be beneficial but you should never forget your public image.

Your father

Lucius Malfoy

Crabbe and Goyle had accepted Draco's Hufflepuff membership a lot more readily than most of the people Draco knew from before Hogwarts. Theodore Nott had barely made any attempt at all to even acknowledge his existence and seemed to be thick as thieves with his new friend Blaise. Terry Boot, even several weeks into term, still seemed to think that Draco in Hufflepuff was a big joke. Draco had always thought that Terry Boot was an idiot and had never thought much of his opinion. Draco had only ever had anything to do with Boot at the insistence of his father. Mr. Boot was a well known Wizarding Lawyer with whom Lucius often had dealings.

One Monday afternoon after Defense Against the Dark Arts, Draco was speaking with Vincent and Gregory as had become their habit.

"So, how have classes been?" asked Draco.

"Fine," replied a rather more sullen than usual Goyle.

"Has Potter been giving you trouble?" Draco knew that Potter probably hadn't been directly taunting anyone but he did seem to be the sort of sneaky git who would stay in the shadows while morons like Weasley ("The Boy Who Lived's" loud-mouthed, ginger shadow) dished out the verbal abuse.

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other before Goyle answered, "He laughs at us when we make mistakes and gets the rest of his house to join in."

"Bloody Potter!" spat Draco, "Don't worry about that little creep, he's been an annoyance for quite a few people so far this year and he's going to get what's coming to him. I just need to work out a few details, but he'll be sorry when it's over."

"What have you got in mind?" enquired Crabbe.

"Now Vincent," replied Draco in a high-handed voice, "you and Gregory need only concentrate on not making as many stupid mistakes in front of Gryffindors and leave actual the thinking to me."