End Game

Chapter 1: Pawns

Percy Weasley walked through the corridors in the Ministry of Magic late that evening. His wild, red hair looked as though an entire bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion had been dumped on top of his head and left to trickle down haphazardly. His eyes widened as he surveyed the destruction before him, and he lamented, remembering what the Ministry had been, fountain and all.

As Percy continued to pace quietly around the corridor, he neglected to notice that he was not alone. A battered looking dark woman with wild eyes stood in the shadows, watching the young Weasley in his concentrated thoughts, and a wicked smile began to spread across her face. She had decided that she needed a challenge; killing her useless cousin had only re-kindled her interest in manipulating what was good in the world. This young man would never know what hit him.

Bellatrix Lestrange suddenly stirred from her hiding place and waited for Percy to notice her. Slowly, the downtrodden young man looked up, and his eyes met Bella's. She watched as his face changed from displaying a young man deep in thought to a young man baffled by what stood before him. Percy appeared as though he was unsure of whether he should apparate or attempt to contact the Aurors to detain the woman standing in clear sight.

Before Percy could come to a decision, Bella spoke: "Another Weasley, I presume? You've been working for Fudge, haven't you?" Percy gasped at the sound of her voice; it was a gruff feminine voice, much like that of a woman who is about to experience extreme pleasure. Unsure of how to respond, Percy remained silent, and Bellatrix laughed. "You refuse to speak to me, Mr. Weasley? I would have thought your parents would have taught you better than that."

At the mention of his parents, Percy snapped out of his stupor. "Bellatrix Lestrange. You and your fellow Death Eaters have been giving the Ministry quite a few problems, trying to track you down."

"Yes," Bella snickered. "We are very good at disguising ourselves. Is that all you have to say to me, Mr. Weasley?"

Percy stood, considering his options, and wondering why Bellatrix Lestrange was so interested in having a conversation with a Weasley. Slowly, he spoke again, "I haven't fully decided upon what you wish to discuss with me, Mrs. Lestrange. Why are you so interested in talking to me?"

Again, Bella laughed, although this time it was more of a cackle. "Mr. Weasley, you have much to learn. Why don't you ask yourself why a member of the opposite sex would wish to speak with you, and you might find a reason there." On that note, Bella turned away from Percy and

disapparated.

Bella hated the quiet times. She hated being by herself; worse was when she was alone with her husband. As evil as he was, he really did not understand her devotion to the Dark Lord. Yet, Bella remained a Lestrange. She was sure that killing Rudolphus would take care of her problems with being married; however, if she were to deprive her master of another servant...Bella quivered at the thought.

Yet, at this moment, Bella was not so sure that she minded the solitude. She mulled over the few moments she spent with the young Weasley boy. The look in his eyes as he addressed her arose a spark into the depths of her soul. She had expected the boy to be terrified at the mere sight of her, yet he was not. Percy Weasley seemed impassive and resolute, refusing to betray any emotion that he may have been feeling at the time. He made a mistake, however, in asking him why she wished to speak with him. He might be easier to handle than she thought...

Percy was fixed on the spot where he stood when she disapparated. Why might a female want to converse with me? The same thought swished around in his head, reminiscent of a swirling pensieve right before a memory became clear. Was it possible that Bellatrix Lestrange had found him attractive?

Percy had always staunchly believed that the Death Eaters held only one emotion, which was utter devotion to their Master. Could Bellatrix Lestrange actually feel something other than that, or had she decided to procure yet another pawn in her Lord's dangerous game of capturing Harry Potter?

He was still unsure of where he stood on the Harry Potter issue. This boy had caused him to separate himself from his family. He has made the Ministry appear foolish time and again. Now that it is clear that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned, Percy may lose his foothold within the Ministry, and he was on the path to success. He had worked so hard to get to the position he was in, and he was reluctant to admit that he may have made a mistake.

In fact, the boy could cost him everything that was important to him. The boy had cost him his family, however embarrassing they were. Now that Minister Fudge has rescinded his prior statements of Harry Potter being a deeply disturbed boy, Percy may lose his most powerful ally within the Ministry. He could fully understand the hatred that the Death Eaters must have felt regarding the boy.

Now, with Bellatrix Lestrange making advances toward him (who was he kidding; it was obvious he was the most attractive Weasley), Percy may be able to redeem his position within the Ministry. No one would use him as a pawn to catch Harry Potter; he would use them, instead, to bring in Volde...You-Know-Who. The next question would be, how?